The Good Christian Boy
by LIFE the RANGER
Summary: Percy goes to church on Sundays and youth group on Wednesdays. His whole life he was taught being gay was wrong; it was an abomination. It never did sit right with him, especially when new boy Nico moves in next door. Percy soon finds himself feeling things he wished he wouldn't feel. All he wants is to be the good boy everyone wants him to be. Rated T because.
1. Chapter 1-The New Neighbors

So, I definitely won't get to this much with the contest going on, but this is sort of went ran through my head while I was at camp. I just wanted to see what you all thought of it too. Maybe I'm just confused…

Also, I realize this story can bring up a lot of controversy. That's kinda what I'm hoping for. Help me think everyone!

…

Percy crossed his arms in front of his chest as he rose from the pew. It was time for everyone to sing, and he hated singing. He sounded like a dying baby walrus being eaten by a polar bear when he sang, but his parents insisted he sing along. So sing he did. Not very well, but he did sing. His mom turned an eye to him and winked, while his stepfather, Paul, stared straight ahead at the projector projecting the lyrics to the song up on the screen. Something about how great their God was. Percy liked church, don't get him wrong, it's just some things confused him. Especially one thing in particular.

"Do you know what the Bible says about homosexuality?" the preacher asked the congregation. Most mumbled a reply. The teens shifted uncomfortably. They'd heard this talk at Youth Group on Wednesday, and they didn't really like it. Something didn't sit right with them about it, especially Percy. "The Bible says in Leviticus 18:22, 'You shall not lie with a male as with a female. It is an abomination.' And it is!" A few Amens were shouted out, and one was from Paul. Percy flicked his gaze to his stepdad nervously. He hated this talk.

"Mom," he whispered. "I need to use the restroom." She gave him a look, and he was worried she'd make him sit through the rest of the talk. But finally, she waved him on. He slipped out of the pew and made his way downstairs to the boys' bathroom. Mrs. Valdez, sitting in the nursery with baby Leo, waved as he passed. He waved back, giving her a wan smile. He slipped into the bathroom and splashed water on his face. "Calm down," he told himself. "It's in the Bible. So it's true." _Then why does it feel so wrong? _he thought to himself. Gays didn't seem like they were an abomination. Jason Grace was one of them. He'd known Jason since preschool. And Jason was fun and quirky and not at all an abomination. He could hear the preacher continuing his speech, thanks to the intercom set up in the nursery. Every now and then, he'd hear that homosexuality was an abomination, and he'd wince. "It has to be true," he told himself. "It has to be true."

"Percy." The brunette nearly leaped out of his skin when his mother's voice came through the door. "Hurry up honey. Pastor Philip is almost done."

"Coming mother!" Percy called back, shutting the sink off. "Just gotta dry my hands." His mother moved off, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He grabbed a paper towel and slowly began to dry his hands. Pastor Philip finished his sermon, and Percy snuck up the stairs and slid into the pew just as the second song began. The congregation all rose and began to sing about the reasons they all loved God. Percy joined them, more so his family couldn't see his discomfort. After the song, everyone went downstairs to eat. "I'm going to eat with the Youth Group," Percy said, motioning to about five other teens seated around a table in the far back of the room. He grabbed his plate of offered food, then moved to sit with the two girls and three other boys that made up the Youth Group.

"Hey Percy," Annabeth Chase said as he slid into the spot next to her. "So, about the sermon?" There were some uneasy murmurs from the other teens. None of them felt comfortable discussing what had been taught today and Wednesday. "Come on guys, we have to discuss this," Annabeth said, taking control as usual. "We can't ignore it forever." More uneasy murmurs.

"I don't like it," Malcolm ventured hesitantly. "The idea of it, and them, being an abomination seems wrong. We all know Jason." Five other heads nodded. "He's the sweetest thing on earth. He's not an abomination and he certainly isn't corrupting us. At least, I don't think…" He trailed off as Mrs. Valdez came over, Leo toddling happily in front of her. He crawled onto Percy's lap, and the brunette smiled.

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Valdez apologized. "He wanted to come sit with the 'big kids.' I tried to tell him you guys probably wouldn't want him here, but…" She shrugged, looking like she wasn't sure what to do. Percy smiled at her.

"No problem Mrs. Valdez," he said, bouncing baby Leo on his lap. Leo squealed with laughter. "Who's a cute baby? You are, yes you are," Percy cooed, and soon the whole youth group was cooing at Leo and playing with him. Leo gave them the biggest baby grin and held up his hands. Soon, they were playing hot potato with him, passing him from teen to teen. Leo didn't seem to mind. He'd play with their hair or their clothes when he got to them, gurgling happily. Never let it be said that the youth group didn't like little kids. Soon enough, Leo was ready to go back to his mother. Mrs. Valdez picked him up and carted him off. Percy and Annabeth were smiling at each other. Leo was the youngest member of their church, and he was a cutie. "You were saying Mal?" Percy asked, turning to the blonde boy.

"Gays…I don't think they should be hated on so much by the church," Malcolm whispered, wringing his hands nervously in front of himself, his gaze darting this way and that. Percy didn't blame him. All the adults were casting curious glances at the group of six teens, obviously wondering what they were discussing. If they knew, they'd shun and disown the kids. This was a rather sensitive topic among the churchgoers. Percy knew someone had to be the voice of reason. Or just the person who voiced what everyone was thinking.

"While I agree with you," he said, getting everyone's attention instantly. "The Bible does say being gay is an abomination. And one should not lie with a male as with a female." There were some hesitant nods, which even Percy had to wince at. He hate this topic. It was always touch and go. And while he liked the church group just fine, he wished he'd gotten to know another group of people as well. Ones with more open minds. That said, the teens began eating, much to their relief. If they discussed it much longer, they were sure to explode.

…

"Percy, look at this," the brunette's mother called. Percy abandoned his Sunday School work and wandered into the kitchen to peer out the bay window. He looked at the moving truck uncomprehendingly. For months, the house next door to his had been for sale, without so much as one open house. They'd gotten used to dark windows, eerie quiet, and the for sale sign out front. Now, that one was replaced with a sold sign, and a family was busy scuttling back and forth, taking things in. Percy and his mother watched for a little while, sometimes making a comment about the family. They soon deduced the family consisted of one mother and one father, and there were three children. Two girls, and a boy who looked like he was in between them. And he looked like he was Percy's age. "We should take them something," his mother said. Percy rolled his eyes. His mother thought they should do that every time they had a new neighbor.

"Whatever you say mom," he said with another eye roll. "I have to finish that banner for the play." Percy went back to his room, but not to work on the play banner. His room faced the neighbors' house, and he peeled the curtains back to spy. The kids were in the backyard, tossing a ball back and forth. The kids didn't really look much alike, so it was hard to imagine them being siblings. The older girl had dark hair and olive skin. The boy also had dark hair, but his skin was white. And the little girl had hair the color of cinnamon toast, with caramel colored skin. They each had on baseball gloves, and they appeared to be throwing a tennis ball. It was strange to watch. The boy was the most athletic. He dove and jumped and slid for the ball, and normally it was cause his sisters to laugh.

"Percy, dinner!" The brunette reluctantly pulled his gaze away from the window and let the curtains flop back into place. He made his way into the kitchen and found the usual Sunday dinner. Pot roast, mashed potatoes, and steamed carrots. But it wasn't out like it would usually be, and there was a lot more of it than normal. He eyed his mother warily. Then he realized she was holding a tray of brownies. They were going to go over and see the new neighbors. "We're going to go see the new neighbors," Percy's mom said, confirming his thoughts. "And then we're going to invite them over for dinner." Percy looked doubtfully at their dining room table.

"There's a lot of them," he reminded his mom. "How will they all fit?" Even as he said it, Paul set up a folding card table with four folding chairs. Percy groaned. "A kids' table? Really?" he asked. But he accepted his fate nonetheless. At least it would give him some time to get to know the kids he'd been spying on. Percy followed between his parents next door, then stood between them as Paul rang the door. There was a lot of scuffling, but finally someone threw open the door. It was the boy. The athletic boy. Percy's breath caught in his throat. He didn't normally think of boys as beautiful, but this one certainly was. He had that long black hair Percy noticed earlier, but what really caught his attention were his eyes. They were dark green, almost black, but they appeared gold at points, so his eyes changed colors depending on how you looked at him. His white skin was flawless. Seriously, not a blemish or scar to be seen. Percy self-consciously reached up and touched his nose, where there was a splash of blackheads.

"Hello," his mother said, smiling kindly. "Are your parents home?" The boy titled his head to the side like he was sizing them up. Finally, he turned around.

"Mom, there's some guests!" he called. Then he turned to them. "Please, come in," he said with a sweeping bow, ushering the trio inside the house. There were things still packed in boxes, and some larger pieces of furniture covered in plastic wrap. Otherwise, it already looked cozy. Framed drawings and a photo timeline hung on one wall, and opposite that was a trophy case with a host of trophies in it. Percy wandered in that direction, the boy shadowing him. "Baseball," he said, pointing. "Football. Cross. Track. Those are mine. Science bowl. Math bee. Spelling bee. Bianca's. Beauty pageant, music competition, choir award. Those are Hazel's." Percy head swam with all the information. "Bianca's my older sister and Hazel is my younger sister," Nico exclaimed. "Bia is sixteen and Hazel is twelve." Right on cue, the two sisters walked in, talking quietly to themselves. When they saw Percy, they beamed.

"Oooh a boy," the younger one, Hazel, exclaimed. "Are you going to share him Nico? It's not polite to keep a guest all to yourself." Nico (so that was the boy's name) rolled his eyes and mouthed something that might have been "sisters." But he steered Percy by the elbow to where his sisters stood. "Hello boy," Hazel said, placing her hands on her hips. "What's your name?"

"Percy," the brunette replied, aware Nico still had his hand on his elbow. "You must be Hazel," he said to her. She nodded solemnly. Already this was a tough crowd. "We noticed you guys moving in earlier," he blurted. "This house has been on the market for months." Nico chuckled.

"Yeah, we know," he said. "We got this place at a steal because of the fact. So, I take it you live next door. Ever play ball?" Nico picked up the tennis ball and tossed it lightly from hand to hand. Percy watched its movements for a little bit, then shook his head.

"Afraid not," he said. "Baseball isn't big around here." Nico tisked and tossed the ball lightly away. It went bouncing across the floor and stopped just in front of the closet.

"What is big around here?" Nico asked, throwing himself onto the couch. Hazel and Bianca sat in the chairs, leaving the other end of the couch open for Percy. He gingerly sat down and stared at them all. What was big around here? Probably not what they were expecting.

"Church," he said at last. "Church is really big around here." Nico wrinkled his nose, and Hazel and Bianca exchanged a look. "What?" Percy asked with a tiny shrug, confused. Their reaction hadn't been quite what he was expecting. "It's the truth. If you're part of a church, it's almost like being a jock."

"That figures," Nico said, sitting up. "Of course we move into a town that values church above all else. God, why did we have to move in the first place?" Percy gasped. Never use the Lord's name in vain. That's what he'd been taught.

"Now Nico, it's not that bad," Bianca soothed. "I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll just get into a church and keep things on the down low." Percy stared back and forth between the three of them, now more than confused. What was going on? Why were they so hostile towards the church? It's not like it was a bad place to be. Percy enjoyed it, when he wasn't forced to sing. "Where do you go?" Bianca asked, turning to look at Percy.

"New Hope," he said. "It's kinda small, but it's full of friendly people. There's only six teens there, so three new additions would be welcome. Hazel, you'd be with us, since we don't have a younger kids program." Hazel nodded slowly, though she still looked reluctant. All three kids did. "Pastor Philip is always happy to meet new people," Percy added helpfully. Nico sighed.

"Pastor?" he asked. "That's great. Well, I suppose it can't hurt any, can it? How about you take us there on Wednesday, and we'll just join Youth Group." Hazel and Bianca turned to look at Nico, their eyes widening. Obviously, Nico didn't say that kind of thing often. "It'll be fine guys," he said to them, spreading his hands in a placid gesture.

"I have to warn you though, our current topic is about homosexuality," Percy told them. "And how it's an abomination." Nico actually flinched, and Bianca and Hazel shook their heads in disbelief. "What?" Percy asked.

"Please tell me you don't buy into all that mumbo jumbo," Nico said. "You know, it isn't the gays corrupting everyone. It's the church!" Percy gasped again. First rule when you lived here, you never, ever said anything bad about the church. Before Percy could think of a response, his mother poked her head into the room.

"Come along children," she said to them, and four pairs of eyes swiveled to meet her. "We're having dinner at our house, yes?" She disappeared again, and the four children looked at each other. The conversation still weighed heavily on their minds, but Percy figured some food would do them all good. He rose from his place on the couch and moved toward the door.

"We have roast, potatoes, and carrots," he told the three unmoving children. "Well?" He turned to look at them. "Dinner awaits." They followed him to the door, where they met up with their parents. Then Percy's mom and stepdad led the way to their house. And dinner.

…

It was nice, Percy decided, having so many people close to his age seated at the table with him. At least it wasn't like at Thanksgiving. Percy was the oldest of his five cousins, and the other five were all under ten. Talk about kids table. But with Bianca, Nico, and Hazel, it was pretty easy. The three of them looked shocked when Percy's mom made them all hold hands and pray before they ate, but soon enough, they were content.

"So this youth group of yours," Nico ventured, wagging his fork. A dollop of potatoes fell back onto his plate, but he didn't seem to take notice. Percy paused in his eating, a bite of roast half-way to his mouth. He looked at Nico, then glanced over his shoulder. The adults were still chatting away, laughing and having a good time. But at the kids' table, the mood shifted to something close to somber. Percy set his fork down. "What all do you do?" Nico asked.

"Well, mostly we meet on Wednesdays and talk and read God's Word. Oh, we do have the play coming up… Yep, that's about it." He smiled sweetly at them. "It's not that bad, really. Pastor Philip normally doesn't repeat topics, so we should be onto something different by Wednesday." Nico and Bianca exchanged a look.

"I'm going to tell him," Nico decided. Once again, Percy was stumped. Tell him what? What exactly was there to tell? Nico turned to him. "Percy, there's a very specific reason we're reluctant to go to church. And there's a reason that the 'homosexuality' talk doesn't sit right with us. I can tell it doesn't sit right with you either." Percy grew wide-eyed and he stared over his shoulder. Neither his mom nor Paul seemed to be paying them any attention. "Don't deny it," Nico said softly, and Percy turned to look at him.

"I'm not," the brunette whispered. "It doesn't sit right with me. But the Bible says homosexuality is bad, so it must be bad, right?" Nico sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes.

"Figures," he mumbled. "Percy, I'm gay."

…

Stopping point! You'll have to see how Percy reacts next chapter.


	2. Chapter -Decorating and Late Nite Talks

So, I've started this chapter before I even had a title, which is unlike me. But this one has me stumped. I can't think of anything clever or witty or even remotely tied into the story. So, while I try to let the ideas flow, I am writing this chapter.

…

"You're…what now?" Percy asked, staring at Nico. He wasn't sure he heard Nico right. Sure, he'd had experience with gay people before. Jason was his best friend after all. But Jason was so closeted, only the youth group knew (and how that had come about, is a story best saved for another time). "You mean…we were talking about…"

"Me," Nico confirmed, nodding solemnly. His sisters exchanged uneasy glances. They never liked it when a new person found out about Nico, even someone as sweet as Percy. "You were basically discussing me, and people like me. Am I an abomination Percy? Am I corrupting you?" Percy jutted his lip out.

"No," he admitted. "You've been polite and pretty soft-spoken. I just thought…" He bit his lower lip. At this point, he wasn't sure what he thought.

"What are you boys discussing?" Percy leaped out of his seat and looked at Paul, who was giving him a strange look. "You boys are so quiet. What are you discussing?"

"Today's sermon," Percy replied without thinking. Then he wished he could smack himself repeatedly upside the head. That was Paul's favorite warm up topic. And he was very passionate about it; if people sided with him. And he firmly believed that gays were an abomination.

"Well, are you telling Nico the verse then?" Paul inquired. The brunette shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. Nico had set his jaw and was frowning at the father/son duo. "Never you mind," Paul continued without missing a beat. "We were discussing homosexuality today," Paul said to the guests. Nico's mother and father grew rigid as they realized this conversation just moved to dangerous waters. "An abomination, the Bible calls it. And I agree!" Percy sucked in a breath and sat down heavily on his chair. Nico quickly ducked his head. Bianca placed a hand on his shoulder and talked quietly with him. "God created a man and a woman for a reason," Paul added.

"Dad!" Percy finally exploded. "That's enough okay? We can discuss this after dinner, but please, let us eat." Seven pairs of eyes turned to Percy, and he fidgeted in his seat. Why was this so hard? His mother always told him to stand up for what he believed in. And he firmly believed that homosexuality wasn't bad, no matter what he'd been taught. Jason first showed him that. Jason was the sweetest boy Percy had ever met. He was thoughtful and caring and able to listen when someone needed it. Much like Percy himself. But standing up in front of all these people…it made him uncomfortable. "Come on Nico, Bianca, Hazel, let me show you my room," he said instead. "Mother, may we be excused?" His mother nodded, and Percy led the trio to his room. "I am so sorry about Paul," he said when he shut the door.

"It's fine, it's fine," Nico said with a small sigh. "It's nothing we haven't heard." Bianca and Hazel nodded, wearing matching frowns. "Really, we've heard it all. People react to that in different ways. Your dad…"

"Stepdad," Percy corrected. Nico nodded.

"Stepdad," he echoed. "He reacts like most. Maybe being gay is an abomination. But I'm perfectly happy being an abomination. Or an exception. Or whatever you want to call me." Nico gazed around the brunette's room. "Kinda…plain," he commented. Percy looked at his bare, blue walls. He had some posters he'd meant to hang up, but he'd just never gotten around to it. Other than that, he didn't have many furniture pieces. A twin sized bed in one corner. A desk in the other. A dresser against the wall at the foot of his bed. A tiny TV mounted on the wall by his closet.

"It's livable and functional," he defending, using what his mother said about his room. "Besides, I have posters to personalize it a bit." Nico arched an eyebrow and looked around. "They're in here." Percy knelt and pulled a box of posters out of the closet. There were about five of them, all still in the plastic wrap. Nico plucked one out and squinted at it.

"What is this?" he asked, handing the poster to Percy. He peered closely at it. Frankly, he'd forgotten what all he had.

"Dunno," he said, peeling the plastic away. "But I know how we can find out." He began unrolling the poster. It showed a blonde haired boy standing in front of a huge N. "That'd be Niall I take it," Percy said, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. His parents had no idea he owned that poster. He'd bought it in secret with some of his allowance. He liked the look of the boy. He was a sucker for blonde haired people. That's what the motive for buying the poster was, he told himself when he laid it on the checkout counter. "Uuuum." He unrolled the next poster. Also of a boy. "Er, I don't know who this is," he said. Nico looked at it.

"It appears to be a tennis player," he observed, pointing to the tennis racket. "Bernard Tomic. Have you heard of him?" Percy shook his head, setting it aside. He reached for the next one, feeling his stomach begin to sink. Were they all of boys and male athletes? Because if so, no wonder he'd never hung them up. His mother and stepfather would tear every single one of them down. His hands shook so much, he couldn't unroll it. "Here," Nico said, reaching to take the poster from Percy. Their fingers brushed, and the brunette shivered. But he handed over the poster like nothing had ever happened. Nico unrolled it and studied it for a bit. "Another boy? Geez Perce, at this rate, you might as well stick a sign on your back that says 'gay.'" Percy peered over Nico's shoulder at the poster. It showed…somebody. "I know this guy. It's Rufus Wainwright," Nico exclaimed. "Why do you have his poster?" The brunette tore it away from him and stuffed the box back in the closet.

"Why do I have any of these posters?" he asked him, "I don't know Nico, I just do. But now I know why I don't hang them up. Mom and Paul would go ballistic." Nico cocked his head to the side, got his poster of Bernard Tomic, and began taping it up. "What are you doing?" the brunette asked, tugging on his sleeve.

"What are you ashamed of?" Nico challenged. "What's so wrong with hanging up a few posters? God, it's not a bad thing Percy. You have the freedom to express yourself, you know." The brunette grew quiet as he watched Nico tape his posters up in various places. Only one didn't feature a boy, and that one had a giant Keep Out triangle on it. "There," Nico said with a flourish. "Now this bedroom looks lived in." Percy gazed around uneasily.

"This feels both right and wrong at the same time," the brunette mumbled. "Paul will have my head if he sees this…" He trailed off. "But it is my room," he said with a shrug. "So it really shouldn't matter." He gazed around his room again. The athletes and singers seemed to be staring at him, taunting him to take them down. "I like it," the brunette decided, flinging himself into his bed. Bianca sat in the desk chair, and Hazel sat on the desk. Nico perched on the edge of the bed, darting his eyes around. "Thanks for helping me decorate," he said, elbowing Nico. The dark-haired male shrugged and smiled.

"My pleasure," he said. "Though you must tell me one thing; why all the guys? It wouldn't be odd to see me with all this stuff." He swept his hand around the room, and Percy swore the posters seemed to follow him. "But for you, the good Christian boy, this kind of thing is a little strange." Percy bristled.

"Good Christian boy?" he challenged. Again, Nico arched his eyebrow, sweeping his hands out. "What makes you say I'm the good Christian boy?" Percy asked. "Maybe I don't want to be…that." Nico flicked his gaze to his sisters.

"How exactly do you feel?" Nico asked, though not necessarily to Percy. He was still looking at his sisters. But the brunette knew the question was for him. He had been expecting it, but then again, he hadn't. He sat back against the wall and thought it over. How exactly did he feel? A little insulted maybe. He was anything but a good Christian boy. Good Christian boys didn't question the Bible, or God's Word in general. But Percy felt something was flawed with Leviticus 18:22. Being gay wasn't really a bad thing, was it?

"I'm not perfect," Percy finally said. "I have doubts. I think something is wrong with the sermon. That doesn't make me a good Christian. At least, not in the eyes of the church and my stepdad." Nico twisted so he was sitting sideways on Percy's bed, propping one leg up. He shook his head. "I guess I don't know exactly how I feel," he finished.

"Tell me Percy, do you like girls?" Nico questioned. The brunette felt anger flaring.

"Of course I like girls!" Percy exclaimed. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Look me right in the eye then," Nico prompted (or perhaps taunted). "Look me right in the eye and tell me you like girls. If it's the truth, you should have no problem doing so. But if you're lying… Well, it's always hard to meet someone's gaze when you're lying." Percy opened his mouth to speak, then lifted his gaze so he and Nico were eye to eye.

"I…" He stopped. Nico's dark gaze was a little unnerving. The light made them almost black, and he seemed to be staring through Percy. "I…" the brunette repeated. Then he dropped his gays. "I can't do it," he admitted softly. "Not with your gaze." He could see the corners of Nico's mouth quirking up at the sides.

"Then say it to Hazel," he said, beckoning his sister forward. Hazel approached the bed and stood in front of the duo, looking at them with large, earnest brown eyes. "You should have no problem saying it to a girl, right? And a twelve year old girl at that." Percy looked Hazel in the eyes. She was friendly enough, he decided.

"I…" he started, but once again, he stopped. Why couldn't he say it? Why couldn't he say it! "I like…" Another pause. "I like girls," he forced out in a ragged gasp. He quickly looked away, hoping he wasn't as pink in the face as he felt. Hazel looked at Nico.

"I don't think that was honest," she said slowly. "He hesitated too much, and it all came out in one breath. If he were sincere, he wouldn't hesitate like that. And he certainly wouldn't look away when he was done speaking." She flounced back to the desk and pushed herself up on it. Nico turned to look at Percy. The poor boy was shaking all over. Maybe they'd hit the core of his discomfort.

"Percy, if you don't like girls, just say so," Nico said gently, reaching out to touch him. He laid a palm on his shoulder, and Percy turned to look at him. "It's not a bad thing. Really, it isn't. People admit they like the same sex every day." Already, Percy was shaking his head.

"I can't be gay," he said. "I've been taught differently than that." Now it was Nico's turn to be angry, but he swallowed down the rage and let Percy continue talking. "Can I choose not to be gay?" he asked the dark-haired boy.

"No," Nico said. "It isn't a choice. I didn't just wake up one day and go 'oh, I think I shall like boys from now on.'" Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Percy giggled. The way Nico worded it made it sound funny. "The point is Percy, you have no control over it. And it doesn't matter what you've been taught. If you're gay, you're gay. It's as simple as that." Bianca nodded along. Percy had almost forgotten they were there. Maybe that was a good thing. This conversation was scary enough as it was. Actually, it was bordering taboo.

"I like girls," Percy repeated, forcing himself to speak slowly and deliberately. That left a bitter taste in his mouth. "I'm positive." He looked Nico in the eyes. "I'm straight." He forced himself to hold the dark-haired boy's intense gaze. "I like girls. I like girls." Maybe if he repeated it enough, it would magically be true. He'd be the good Christian boy he was supposed to be. The one everyone expected him to be.

"Percy, it doesn't matter how many times you say it, it doesn't make it true," Nico said, and Percy scrambled backwards, finally dropping his gaze. Was he that transparent? "If you are well and truly gay, there is not a single thing you can tell yourself to convince yourself otherwise."

"I can't be gay!" Percy practically sobbed. "My parents would disown me! I'd be kicked out of church! I'd be bullied at school!" The words tumbled out without any real rhyme or reason. "I've always been taught being gay is wrong. It's an abomination," he said desperately.

"Do you believe that?" Nico asked. He was as calm as when this conversation had started. "Do you really believe it's an abomination? Because if you do, then you are saying you're an abomination." He jabbed Percy gently in the chest with his thumb. It didn't hurt the brunette, but it did stun him to silence. "Like it or not Percy, you're gay."

"Boys?" Sally called. "Is everything alright in there? We heard some muffled shouts." Percy's impossibly wide sea-green eyes widened further. Out of all the times for his mom to interrupt, she chose now?

"Everything's fine mom," Percy called, leaping from his bed and throwing his weight against the door so his mom couldn't come in. "We're just having a heated argument about something silly, that's all. Do you need something?"

"It is time for Nico and his sisters to go home," his mother replied. "And it's time for you to go to bed. You have school in the morning young man." He heard her clip-clopping off down the hall in her heels, and he breathed a huge sigh of relief. Nico and his sisters rose as one, and Percy led them down the hall to the front door. His mother and stepfather were shaking hands with Nico's mother and father. Percy shook their hands too, then went to shake hands with Bianca, Nico, and Hazel. Instead, he got three hugs. Nico's ended up lasting a little longer than Bianca's and Hazel's, but if anyone noticed, they didn't let on. The adults thought it was a rather sweet moment. After the hugs, Percy politely excused himself and sprinted down the hall, closing his door and leaning against it. He could still feel the place where Nico had dug his thumb into his back. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to send electricity shooting up his spine.

…

Percy tossed and turned, but sleep eluded him. It was well after one in the morning, and he knew he should be getting to bed soon. After all, he did have school in seven hours. But he couldn't sleep. What Nico had told him after dinner still rattled around his brain. How could the new boy tell Percy how he felt? Percy himself wasn't sure how he felt. It wasn't a total lie, saying he like girls. But it still left a bitter taste in his mouth like he _was_ lying. He couldn't be lying. He'd been raised to like girls. That Paul pounded into his head relentlessly. Be the good Christian boy. Follow God's Word. Do what you were told. Bark on command.

"Ugh," Percy said, throwing his pillow against the wall. Naturally, it bounced harmlessly off. But it felt good to throw something. He swung his legs over the side of his bed and looked around. Niall gave him a smirk from over his desk, and Percy found himself smiling. Niall really was a looker. "No," he scolded himself. "Bad Christian. Niall just has blonde hair. That's why you like him." He got up and stumbled noiselessly to the kitchen. He got himself a glass of water and sat down on the counter, looking at the plain dirt brown walls. He sipped from his water glass from time to time. But it did almost nothing to chase away the cotton in his throat.

Percy wasn't entirely sure why he was up at one in the morning, but he knew it had something to do with Nico. The dark-haired beauty left him speechless and reeling, and that was if he was feeling generous. Something about him made Percy want to know more about him. Why he played so many sports. Why he kept his dark hair long. And why his eyes changed colors in the light and the angle you looked at him. He gazed out his kitchen window at the sliver of a moon, wondering what it was thinking about all of this. Suddenly, a flash of light nearly blinded him. He squinted, and a dark shape moved in the house next door. A flashlight clicked on, and Nico waved, smiling. Percy waved back, also smiling. They had a little light over their sink, so Nico could see him just fine. Nico held up something.

_Y U Up?_ Percy read to himself. Then he realized Nico had written him a message. He found a notepad and a permanent marker in one of the drawers and wrote something of his own down.

_Idk. U?_ He held up the notepad so Nico could see. Nico shrugged, that dopey grin staying in place. He held up his own notepad.

_We should do this every nite. I enjoy this._ The brunette blushed faintly and ducked his head. This was pretty fun. And now he felt the beginnings of a yawn.

_Okay. Tired. Bedtime. Nite._ Percy waited while Nico sat cross-legged on his counter and slowly wrote out what he wanted to say.

_C U at school. Show me around. Can't wait! Nite._ Nico ducked out of sight, and Percy's heart twisted painfully. He didn't want Nico to go. He wanted to keep talking to him. But he dumped his water in the sink nonetheless and made his way back to his room. He crawled under the covers.

"Night Niall," he said to the poster above his desk. "Sweet dreams." He passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow, and he dreamed of showing Nico around school.

…

Well isn't that lovely. Poor Percy.


	3. Chapter 3-Touring the School

Well now, so far a lot of love. Not exactly what I expected, but I'll take it. Also, I see all the normal people reviewed (like I expected anything different in that department). Yes, these might actually come in rapid session. I'm intrigued by how I'll go about this.

…

Percy was still stuffing bites of cereal when Nico came to pick him up the next day. The school wasn't too far from their houses, and they'd agreed while they were eating to meet up beforehand and walk together. The brunette shoved one last spoonful in, snatched up his backpack, and said a quick goodbye to his parents, who were sitting at the bar drinking coffee. They waved goodbye as Percy shoved his way out the front door, adjusting his simple blue polo on the process. He stumbled into Nico, who reached out and steadied him.

"Careful," he said, gripping Percy's waist. "Don't send us both sprawling." There was a slight smirk in his voice, and Percy blushed, slowly untangling himself from Nico's grasp. He shouldered his backpack and began the brisk walk to school. Nico fell in step beside him, and Percy took the time to study him. He had his backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder. He had on tight, dark jeans and a black shirt with silver designs on it. Even his shoes were black. If Percy didn't know better, he'd say Nico was Goth. But Nico wasn't.

"Where'd you move from anyway?" the brunette asked, coving up his discomfort by shifting the straps of his backpack. "Obviously you moved from outside city limits." Nico pursed his lips and Percy thought he'd overstepped some sort of boundary. "I didn't mean…"

"It's fine," Nico interrupted before the brunette even finished the thought. "We moved in from the city. Dad got a better job offer here, so we packed up everything in two weeks and carted off." He sounded wistful and a little bitter, so Percy figured he'd better not interrupt. "I already miss my old home. I wish so bad I could go back, even for one more day." Percy ducked his head, his cheeks burning. Nico didn't have to be that hostile. The dark-haired boy glanced over, and he felt a little guilty. This boy, this boy he barely knew, was risking everything by being his friend. He could show a little appreciation. Percy shuffled forward, kicking a pebble in front of him. He couldn't meet Nico's gaze. Not now that he knew Nico missed his old home so much. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that," Nico said softly, touching the brunette's upper arm. Percy shivered. "I mean, I got to meet you, so that's a definite plus."

"Oh," Percy mumbled, his cheeks reddening. But that felt good. It made him feel special. Then it made him feel guilty for allowing himself to feel special. Then he felt angry for feeling guilty. He should be allowed the simple pleasures, after all. And if anyone were to ask him, he'd just say it felt nice to have a new friend, whom he didn't like any more than a friend (and we all know that's an obvious lie). "Well, we're here," he said, motioning to the dusty brown, two-story building with the American flag billowing proudly in front of it. Nico squinted up at the high school, shading his eyes with his hand. "You'll have to go the office for your information," Percy said, leading Nico up the four stone steps to the front door. He shoved it open with his shoulder and immediately veered right. Nico followed, looking around. The main entryway showed off stone blocks, two staircases, and the entrance to the theater.

"Hello Percy," Mrs. Tomilson said when Percy pulled Nico up the window. "What can we do for you?" Percy motioned to the unmoving figure beside him. He gently nudged Nico with his elbow until the dark-haired boy blinked and shook his head.

"I'm Nico di Angelo," he told her. "One of the new students." Mrs. Tomilson began rifling around her paperwork while Percy thought of Nico's last name. Di Angelo. It sounded…not American. Jackson was as American as it got. Di Angelo. He really liked the sound of it. Nico was handed a thick file, which he balanced in one hand as he dragged Percy away. The brunette blinked in surprise, but let himself be willingly dragged away. Nico plopped down on the bench in front of the theater and began pulling out paperwork. "Ah, here it is," he said, holding up a thin piece of blue paper. His schedule. "What class do you have first?"

"Into to film development," Percy replied. He was really enjoying that class. A slow smile spread across Nico's features as he handed his schedule to the brunette. Percy took it and studied it. They had first, third, sixth, and seventh hour together. Four out of seven classes with Nico? Either he was being tempted in a big way or it was a pure coincidence. But since Percy didn't believe in coincidences, it had to be fate trying to tempt him. "We have four classes together," Percy said. "Intro to film, algebra I, Italian II, and Advanced English I. Huh? Are we in the same grade?"

"Yeah. If you're a freshman that is," Nico responded, taking his schedule back. He folded it neatly and stuck it in his pocket. "I just take Italian II because I can already speak it. I'm Italian. Di Angelo means 'the angel' in Italian. So yeah." He shrugged like it was no big deal, but something was clearly bothering him. Percy felt hesitant about this, but he reached out and brushed his fingertips across Nico's shoulder. The dark-haired boy looked at him, his expression troubled. "Will people like me?" he asked suddenly. "I plan to, you know…not tell them. But will they like me? Will the sense something's amiss?" Percy gave a nervous laugh.

"Of course they'll like you," he assured. "You have nothing to worry about in that department. You're a very likable person." Nico gave him a faint, shy smile. He reached out and seized Percy's hand in his. He twined their fingers together and squeezed gently. Percy swallowed hard and glanced around, but they were alone. Everyone was either in the lunch room or up in the library for Morning Prayer. He should be up there too, but today he didn't feel like going. Percy gently tugged his hand back and rose, starting off toward the computer lab. Nico followed at a slower pace, frowning thoughtfully at the back of the brunette. He couldn't even do that? Temptation was a bitch. Percy sat down in his assigned seat and slid his back under the table. He pulled out his school issued laptop and woke it up. While he waited, he turned to Nico, who was hovering near the empty teacher's desk, staring uncertainly at the three rows of chairs. Percy patted the spot next to him. "This seat's open," he said. Nico slid in quietly beside him and folded his hands over his stomach, slouching in his seat.

"Nice little place," he said. Percy turned toward him, trying to decide if he was kidding or not. "Really," Nico continued. "The building's setup is nice, and so far everyone has been friendly." He leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling, He wished so bad he could be back at his old school. People there knew who he was and accepted him for the fact. But, he amended in his head. Something good did come out of this move. He glanced at Percy, who was busy editing shots together.

"You know," Percy ventured without looking at Nico. "We do have a gay person here at school. He should be coming…now." Nico turned his attention to the door, and sure enough, a blonde boy swept into the room and sat down on the other side of Percy. "Hey Jason," Percy said. "I'm having trouble editing this shot. Think you can help?" Jason leaned over Percy and peered at his laptop. Nico watched the exchange with mild interest. At first glance, Jason didn't look like much. His blonde hair was medium length, and his bangs were swept to one side. Nonetheless, he had to constantly push them aside. He had kind, bright blue eyes. But Nico peered closer. Behind the kindness, there was a sort of defeat about him. Nico noticed the way his shoulders slumped every now and then, and how he'd puff out a breath like he was suppressing a sigh.

"So," Nico said, and Jason jerked up. His blue eyes narrowed as he sized Nico up. "Easy now," Nico said, holding his hands up in a placid gesture. "Not judgmental here. I'm just like you." Jason's gaze flicked to the door, and he moved around to talk to the dark-haired boy.

"You're gay?" he asked lowly. His gaze constantly shifted, looking from the door to the desk to the tables. Nico realized then how careful he had to be. If anyone found out, he could very well be run out of his new town. Jason obviously did a good job of hiding it. "Speak fast. Morning Prayer ends in a few minutes." Nico sighed. He didn't really want to hide who he was.

"Gay indeed," Nico whispered back. The bell rang overhead, and he winced. "Convo over," he said. Jason nodded and slid into his seat. Percy closed down whatever project he'd been working on and focused on the front of the room. The teacher came in first, and a flood of students followed. Nico shrank back in his seat, staring wide-eyed at all the newcomers. For such a confident guy, he was way out of his comfort zone.

…

"How was school?" Nico looked into the kitchen, where his mother was busy baking cookies. They were going to take them over to the Blofis/Jackson house after dinner. The task was originally taken on by Nico's mom and dad, but his dad had to work late. So he and his mom were delivering them. He swung his back onto the staircase and sat down on the sofa, scrubbing at his face with his hands. He had two more classes with Jason, and one more with both him and Percy in it (algebra I). He got to quietly observe Jason, and he got to see the lengths he went to in order to make sure his secret stayed a secret. He flirted with a few of the ladies in his classes, though he always looked pained about doing so. They never let on that anything was different, so they'd flirt back. When their backs were turned, he'd pretend to gag. The first couple of times he did it, Nico chuckled. The third time, he just felt kind of sad for him.

"Intense," Nico admitted. "There's another gay boy there, Jason. He goes to great lengths to hide who he is. He even flirts with the girls, but he hates it. I hate it for him. I don't want to have to hide who I am." He flipped on the TV, but he didn't register whatever he was watching. It was only the first day of school. How would he last the rest of the year? Jason had been doing it for years, he'd found out. Spurred by a common secret, they struck up a friendship. Jason told him just how long he'd been hiding himself from everyone. Almost three years now. In seventh grade, he knew who he was. The dark-haired boy had to give him props for that. But it got harder the longer you tried to hide it. Jason told Nico at lunch he felt saddened and discouraged. He'd been in the same school as all these people since he could walk. Did he even understand how Nico felt?

"Nico, someone at the door for you," his mother called. Nico looked up and was surprised to see Percy hovering at the door. He hadn't made any plans with the brunette. He shrugged. Why was he complaining? He'd take any chance he'd get to see Percy. He rose from the couch and made his way into the entryway.

"Hey Perce," he said. "Come on in." Percy crept in like he'd be caught if he wasn't quiet. "What are you doing here? I figured you'd be doing homework." Percy shook his head like he had water in his ears and gave the dark-haired boy a lopsided grin.

"Nah," he said. "I told mom I was coming over here to talk about youth group with you. Let's do something else instead." Nico clutched his chest.

"Oh my god did the good Christian boy _lie_ to his mother?" Percy flared red and ducked his head. Nico felt a little bad about that, so he reached out and ran his fingers lightly under Percy's chin until he giggled and looked up. "What do you want to do?" he asked, smiling. He wanted…no, he needed…Percy to be comfortable around him. Especially if his train of thought pulled into the right station. Percy frowned in a thoughtful way and rubbed his chin. Nico noticed a tiny scar on his chin. "What's that from?" he asked, pointing to it. Percy looked momentarily confused, but then he laughed.

"When I first got my training wheels off I fell and sliced my chin on a rock," he replied. "I had to have stitches in it and everything. It was pretty bad." He laughed again and ran a thumb over the scar, almost like he could feel the pain again. "That was quite awhile ago," he added quietly. Nico smiled.

"It's cute," he said. "Makes you look tough." Percy snorted, and Nico felt his spirits lift considerably. He'd been feeling down when he'd arrived home, but now, with Percy, everything seemed like it would be alright. The world seemed a little brighter. And Percy, in his blissful ignorance, had no idea. But Nico was content to let it stay that way. "Anyway, back to the topic at hand. What do you want to do?" This time, Percy motioned to the backyard.

"You like baseball so much, why don't you throw to me?" he suggested. Nico smiled and retrieved his glove, the tennis ball, and a glove for Percy. The duo made their way to the backyard, where Nico handed Percy the glove. Percy slipped it on and faced Nico. The dark-haired boy first threw it slow and underhand while Percy got the feel for it. After about ten minutes of that, Percy got a little better. So Nico began throwing overhand and a little harder. Percy was soon jumping and ducking for his catches. After half an hour, Nico called a stop to the game. Percy beamed at him. "I got better," he proudly announced. Nico chuckled. Percy sure was cute when he was proud.

"You sure did," he said, slinging an arm over his shoulders. Percy looked at his arm for a second, then leaned further into the embrace. The dark-haired boy was so startled, he took a step back. Percy looked at him with sad sea-green eyes. "Want something to drink?" Nico asked awkwardly, jerking a thumb toward the back door. Percy shrugged.

"Water works," he mumbled, watching as Nico left. He sat down at the picnic table as Nico practically sprinted into the house. Did he do something wrong? He hadn't thought so. But apparently, he had. What else could scare his new friend like that. He swiped his hand across his forehead and set his glove aside. He drummed his fingers on the table and rested his chin on his other hand, sighing. Great. Only the second day, and he'd successfully scared his new friend off. But it went a little further than that. Something in his heart twisted painfully at the prospect of losing his new friend. And he wasn't sure why.

"Water," Nico said, startling the brunette. But then he took his bottled water sheepishly, twisted off the cap, and took a swig. Nico sat opposite him, fingering the edge of his glass. It looked like lemonade, but Percy didn't ask. He wasn't sure he wanted to speak to Nico. "Look Perce, I'm sorry for freaking," Nico said, and all of the brunette's earlier feelings dissolved. "I just…I was surprised and caught off guard when you leaned into my embrace. That's why I pulled away. And then I was embarrassed because I pulled away, so I tried to cover by getting us drinks." He tapped his glass, and the liquid inside sloshed around. "So, once again, I am sorry I freaked out."

"It should be me that's apologizing," the brunette replied. "After all, I was the one that leaned in. You clearly weren't expecting that." Nico actually laughed, reached across the table, and took the brunette's hand in his.

"Percy, I swear, I will always be ready when you are." Percy blushed and looked away. But he was smiling.

…

Percy practically trembled with anticipation as he threw his covers back and crept to his door. He swung it open and peered out into the hall. Everything was dark except for the kitchen, where he knew the light over the sink was still on. Thank you, parents who schedule a bed time. He snuck passed their room and into the kitchen. He'd gotten a drawing pad with some of his allowance so Nico could see his messages better, and he'd gotten plenty of bright markers. He selected fire engine red and sat on the counter for Nico to give the all clear flash with his flashlight. They'd agreed to message each other at eleven at night, not too late, but not early enough to be caught. He swung his legs against the cabinets, still waiting. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two quick flashes. Nico was ready. He held up his drawing pad quickly.

_Hey. This is so taboo. I love it! _Even he laughed when he read it to himself. Nico covered his mouth with his hand, a very delicate gesture. He held up a finger, scribbling something in rapid session. He held up his own pad of paper.

_I know it is. You little rebel! Lol, jk._ Percy giggled and flipped to the next page in his pad. He loved this part of the night already. It made him feel free and in control of his life for the first time he could remember. He tapped his marker against his chin, leaving a smudge of blue. Finally, he wrote out his short message in sloppy half-cursive.

_Only for you, lol. I love this, what we're doing._ Nico frowned and shook his head. But then he smiled again and flashed his flashlight at Percy, momentarily blinding him. Percy grunted and dropped his drawing pad, rubbing at his eyes. When the spots cleared and he turned to glare at Nico, he was rendered speechless by his message.

_Only for you too. You're so special, you don't know it._ Percy picked up his drawing pad and set it in his lap, debating what to say. Finally, he scribbled something and held it up.

_You too Neeks. You make me feel…different._ Nico tilted his head thoughtfully to the side, studying Percy's message. Was Percy hinting at his own realization of his sexuality?

_Hey, g2g. Talk tomorrow? Walk 2 school? Sweet dreams Perce_. Percy smiled and wasted no time writing his reply.

_Wouldn't miss it for anything. Sweet dreams Neeks._ Nico flashed his light a couple more times, grinned, and disappeared. Percy shook his head, clutched his drawing pad to his chest, and snuck back to his room. He couldn't wait to walk with Nico to school tomorrow.

…

So I think every chapter will end much the same way, with them writing each other messages. Hey, it's not a bad way to end it. It's rather adorable.


	4. Chapter 4-Comforable With Yourself

Well, well now. Someone mentioned what will happen when Paul and Sally find out. Don't worry, I have that planned waaaaaay in advance (but since you all know me by now that sentence should have you freaking out). I have it all figured out, trust me.

…

"So, that Nico boy?" Percy froze, a bite of cereal half-way to his mouth. He quickly let the spoon down and stuffed his hands into his pockets, hoping to cover up the fact they were shaking. Why out of all times to ask about Nico, why now? Why with Paul sitting next to her, sipping his coffee and reading the morning paper. "Is he nice?" Sally finally asked, and inwardly, Percy breathed a sigh of relief.

"He is very nice, and he's polite," he said. "He and Jason really hit it off yesterday. It was kind of amazing to watch." Mostly so because Jason needed someone with a similar problem so he wasn't alone, but they'd take it one day at a time. "He's going to youth group with me on Wednesday," he added. That sealed the deal. Paul looked up from his paper and smiled.

"Thatta boy," he said. "What could be wrong with a good Christian boy?" Percy swallowed hard, stuffed one more bite of cereal into his mouth, and rose from his seat. He got his backpack and shoved his way out the front door. Nico wouldn't be by to pick him up for school for another five minutes yet, but the brunette couldn't stay in his home any longer. Paul had hit too close to the truth. He sat down on his front steps and pulled out his laptop. He logged into Facebook and searched for Nico di Angelo. Sure enough, his neighbor's profile was the first one in the line. He sent a friend request, then shut his laptop and put it back in his backpack.

"Hey Perce!" Percy looked up to find Nico jogging across their lawns. He rose, shrugged his backpack on, and met him. Without thinking about it, Nico threw his arms around Percy and twirled him around. "It's soooo good to see you!" he said with the biggest smile possible. "I missed you." Percy looked at his house…and shrugged. If his mom and stepdad saw him, he didn't really care.

"I missed you too," he said with a big smile of his own. "Let me down now. Please." Nico laughed and set him back on his own two feet. They began the walk to school. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you, have you run into other Christian' before?" Nico paused just long enough for Percy to walk in front of him a couple steps. Then Nico began to walk again, but slower.

"Yeah," he replied. "It really varies on how people react. Some are more open than others. I've had really good Christian friends that are perfectly okay with who I am. Their parents too. But then again, that was in the city. In a small town like this, it's easy for everyone to sort of hop on the bandwagon, so to speak. But, yeah, I've run into other Christians." Percy pondered that for a moment. Then, quickly, he snatched Nico's hand in his, squeezing gently.

"I'm fine with who you are," he said quietly. "It just makes you extra special. So much more to love." He flushed and turned away, mentally smacking himself in the forehead. Nico stopped them, then glanced at the school. He pulled Percy around back. The brunette's sea-green eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. There was no one in the back of the school. It would figure. It was time for Morning Prayer. "What are you doing?" Percy finally asked.

"I didn't want anyone to see us do this," Nico said, wrapping his arms around the brunette's waist and squeezing. "Percy, please, don't tempt me to do something I'll regret. But I wanted to hug you without getting dirty looks. Is that too much to ask?" Percy mutely shook his head. Really, it wasn't asking for much at all. It felt…nice. Being hugged like this. He wrapped his arms around Nico's shoulders, and the dark-haired boy smiled. "God Percy," he whispered gruffly. "I want to kiss you so bad. But that would be really taboo."

"Who cares?" Percy asked, surprising himself in addition to Nico. "Maybe I like a little taboo." He tried to sound cheeky, but he was pretty sure it came out sounding scared to death. This was a whole new territory for him, but already this had him feeling freer than he had been. "Maybe I want to kiss you too," he added lowly. Not a lie. He did want to kiss Nico, for some odd reason. It sounded like the right thing to do. It sounded like it would be good. Nico's grip on him tightened, and without saying a word, his lips met Percy's. The kiss lasted only a couple seconds, but to Percy, it felt like a lifetime. And not because he was terrified. Rather, he was elated. Kissing Nico felt right. It felt like all his broken pieces were slowly coming together. Nico smiled down at him.

"Now that felt amazing," he said. "And we should go. The bell rings in five minutes." Percy frowned. He didn't want this moment to end, ever. But they had to go to school. Reluctantly, he followed Nico into the school. They met up with Jason, and all headed to the computer lab together. Jason and Nico walked slightly ahead of Percy, talking quietly with themselves. Percy switched his gaze from one boy to the other, feeling a little burning resentment inside of him. Then he felt extremely guilty for the fact. If Nico and Jason wanted to be friends, he shouldn't stop them. Heck, he was the one who introduced them.

"You okay back there Perce?" Jason asked, looking over his shoulder. "You look like you're sucking a lemon." Percy shook his head and grinned sheepishly at him. Jason's eyebrow arched into his bangs, but he didn't say anything. Nico touched his arm, and soon his focus was back on the dark-haired boy. They both laughed quietly, and once again Percy felt jealous. That was his neighbor. His friend. His Nico.

"I'm going to get a drink," Percy mumbled. Nico waved a hand to show he understood and he and Jason ducked inside the computer lab. Rather than stop at the water fountain, Percy ducked into the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face and leaned over the sink, breathing deeply and evenly. "Why am I jealous?" he whispered. "Nico has more in common with Jason anyway. At least I don't have to hide who I am." But Percy wasn't so sure anymore. If that kiss behind the school meant anything, it showed he really did have to hide who he was. Feelings he'd been wrestling with since middle school. Feelings he thought he'd beaten into submission.

"Percy?" Percy sighed and went outside the bathroom, where Nico was hovering by the door. "There you are," he said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I looked out, and you weren't at the water fountain. I was getting ready to have a panic attack." He laughed. "Come on now. Class is starting soon." He steered Percy toward the computer lab, and Percy took his seat between Jason and Nico. _At least they can't really talk with me between them,_ he thought. He got out his laptop, opened it, and realized he'd forgotten to close Facebook. But before he could, he had a couple of notifications to check. Most likely game requests from Annabeth. He was half right. He did have one game request from Annabeth. The other was letting him know Nico accepted his friend request. He looked over at the dark-haired boy, who looked like he was trying not to smile. But Percy did smile. He smiled a lot.

…

Percy flung his bag onto his bed and sat down at his desk, spreading out his banner. He had to have it finished by tomorrow, because everyone wanted to see it. He got his bright markers and began coloring in the bubble letters. The New Hope Youth Group Presents…The Story of Noah. It was supposed to be a fun and entertaining way of telling the sermon, and that's what they were going to do on Sunday. Pastor Philip was going to let the youth group be in charge of the sermon with their play. Malcolm was Noah. Will would be lending his voice as the voice of God, telling Noah what he should do. Annabeth was Noah's wife. And everyone else were going to play Noah's children. They had large, cardboard animals they would carry to their "ark" (obviously not to full scale). Leo would even be helping them by fetching the animals as the needed them. It was going to be fun.

"How's it going?" Percy didn't even look at his mother as she talked to him. He was too busy coloring. "How's the banner coming?" Percy knew he should answer this one, and more than a grunt or a nod. His mother might be lenient, but she still expected a verbal answer.

"It's good mother," he replied, choosing a different color and beginning again. "Do you need something?" It was the usual question he asked when his mother came to his room unannounced. "I'm busy," he added, finally turning to look at her.

"I brought help with that, actually," she said with a smile, stepping aside. Nico moved passed her and sat down on his desk, smiling. Percy blinked up at him, then shoved him off. He grinned and pulled up an extra chair and grabbed a marker. Together, they began the work again. "Have fun boys," his mother said. "Oh, and Percy. I love what you've done to your room." Percy frowned, not fully understanding what she meant. But then his gaze flicked to the poster above his desk, and he did understand. She was talking about expressing himself. Nico elbowed Percy lightly and smiled.

"Look at that," he said. "Your mom likes your room." Percy tilted his head to the side and looked around. All his posters looked back and he slowly shook his head.

"It was never my mom I was worried about," he said. "She's a little more understanding than my stepdad..." He trailed off and looked back down at the banner. They colored in silence for awhile, the only sound being the gentle scrape of the markers on paper. Every now and then, Percy would glance over at Nico, who was humming quietly as he worked. "You don't have to help me," he said quietly.

"I don't have to, but I want to," the dark-haired boy replied, smiling down at the banner. "If it means hanging out with you, I'd do it." Percy blushed faintly. He felt unexpectedly warmed by that. Then, once again, he felt guilty. He shouldn't be thinking like this. It was wrong. But…it felt so right. He swept his hair out of his eyes and sank back in his chair. Now that Nico was here, he didn't have the desire to finish the poster. At least, not right now. He'd get back to it later in the night. Right now, all he wanted to do was do something fun with Nico.

"Hey Neeks," he said, and the scraping of marker on paper stopped. "Wanna go to the park? It's too nice a day to be cooped up inside." Nico smiled and rose, offering his hand. Percy took it and the dark-haired boy hauled him to his feet. He gripped him as he caught his balance, and he realized his hands had snaked around his waist. He gently untangled himself and led the way to the living room, where his mom would be. "Mom, we're going to go to the park for some fresh air." His mom waved him on. "Come on Nico," he said, leading him out the front door. The dark-haired boy smiled as he let the brunette lead him. Percy was much more open now. At least, when he wasn't aware of the fact, he was.

"What are we going to do when we get there?" Nico asked. Like the school, the park wasn't too far, so they were walking. That was the good thing about this town, Nico mused. Everything was in walking distance of his house. They walked down Main Street, and Nico took the time to look around. There was a barber shop next to a little ice cream place, and across from them, a diner and hardware store. At the end of the street, he caught signs for a bank and a gas station. Such a small town set up.

"I figured we could sit on the equipment and talk," Percy replied, snapping Nico out of his own little world. "Everyone's at home now, and there's a ballgame at six, but now the park should be deserted. We can talk openly." That particular idea was an appealing one. Percy veered right at the bank, and soon they reached the park. It was nestled in the middle of a bunch of houses, but the houses were far enough way that if they talked in hushed tones, they wouldn't be overheard.

"Won't people find it odd that we're here?" Nico asked. "You said it yourself, everyone else is at home." Percy shrugged, but he did look a little troubled.

"The teens come here and hang out after school all the time," he said, though he sounded uncertain. "But most of them will be at home finishing up any work for their youth groups they didn't get to already." _Much like me_, he thought. But he honestly didn't care about the banner. He was just happy to be with Nico. He smiled shyly and mounted the steps to the equipment, sitting on the tallest slide. Nico sat on the steps and turned to face the brunette, smiling. "I'm glad you came over," Percy said, ducking his head.

"Me too," Nico replied, reaching out and taking Percy's hand. He rested their combined hands on the brunette's knee, and Percy looked down at them. Then he mentally shrugged. No one would even notice all the way up here, and if anyone came by, they could let go fast. He leaned back against the bars and closed his eyes, savoring Nico's nearness. "This is nice," Nico said, mirroring his actions. "Just the two of us, all alone…" Percy giggled and gently squeezed Nico's fingers. So much for the whole "I'm not gay" thing. Well, he wouldn't be ready to admit he was gay. He wasn't. It just felt nice to be around Nico. "Say Perce, about the kiss…"

"Wasn't it amazing?" he interrupted excitedly, opening his eyes and turning to him. "I've kissed people before but it never felt like that!" The sides of Nico's mouth quirked up again. "Never," he repeated, sinking back into his peaceful place.

"Now Percy," Nico chided. "While I agree with you, we definitely shouldn't make it a habit." Percy frowned. He knew that of course. But he could still marvel at the feel of Nico's lips on his, and how soft and gentle the dark-haired boy was. "Don't look like that, please," Nico said, resting his head against his knee. "I want it to happen again, believe me. But you need to be comfortable with yourself before you're comfortable with me."

"What if I am?" Percy blurted out. Nico gave him a cool look.

"You most certainly are not," he responded crisply. "You still doubt whether or not you really are gay. You're wrestling with your feelings. You're trying to shove them back down your throat so you can convince yourself you're still the good boy mommy and daddy raised." Percy flinched. How did he know that? Nico's expression softened. "I totally guessed all that, but judging by your reaction, I'd say I guessed right. It's totally normal to feel that way Perce. I certainly did before I was comfortable with myself. I tried to convince myself I wasn't gay. It was just a mistake. I liked girls. But if my parents asked me about it, I had a hard time meeting their gaze."

"Really?" Percy asked, leaning down so he could hear Nico better. They were talking with hushed tones, on the off chance someone were to come by the park. It was crazy to think of Nico being insecure about who he was.

"Really," Nico replied, nodding and spreading out his free hand. "So it's okay if you're feeling insecure and unsure of yourself. It's normal. It's expected sometimes, especially depending on the home situation." At that, Percy looked away. But the pressure on his hand increased until he looked back at the dark-haired boy. "I have faith in your mom and stepdad," Nico said softly. "They both love you very much. Even if they don't accept you right away, they will in time. They don't want to lose their little boy."

"What's to accept?" Percy asked. Nico looked at him quizzically. "I'm not gay Nico. I can't be gay." Nico sighed and shook his head. Then he rose up on his hands and pressed his lips to Percy's. The brunette was caught off guard, but Nico was sort of pinning him to the steps. Almost as soon as it started, it stopped. "Er…" Percy said, stumped. How was he supposed to react to that? Nico smiled.

"Not gay huh?" he asked, laughing lowly. "That kiss says otherwise." He sat back down and rested his head on Percy's knee again, closing his eyes. Percy looked down at him, studying the figure of the boy he barely knew. But already liked. Not in that way!

"Say Nico," Percy ventured quietly. "When you did finally meet your parents' gazes, what did you see?" Nico laughed and sat up.

"Rather than the hate and disappointment I expected," he said. "I found acceptance and love."

…

Percy finished his banner and homework when he and Nico got home from the park. They left as the families began to trickle in for the ballgame. He say Mrs. Valdez pushing Leo in his stroller. He'd waved to them as he passed, and Mrs. Valdez had waved back. Leo banged his toys on his tray, chatting happily in a language only he understood. Percy smiled softly down at the baby as he chewed his toys contently. But now, at eleven, he was ready for some talking with Nico. First, he peeked out to see if his parents were awake. Everything was dark. So he grabbed his things and went to the kitchen. He got a glass of milk and a cookie and settled down to wait.

At eleven fifteen, Percy frowned. Nico's house was still dark, and there were no shapes moving in the darkness. It was as still as it had been when no one lived there. _Nico would come_, he told himself. _He loves these late night talks too. He won't leave you high and dry._

At eleven thirty, with an empty glass of milk and an empty heart, Percy gave up and trudged back to his room. He put his markers away and crawled into bed with his drawing pad. He wanted to savory the conversations he'd had with Nico before. He flipped open to the newest page, tracing the letters with his fingers. He hadn't planned on showing it to Nico until he was good and ready, but it became truer and truer as the days passed. He set his drawing pad and pulled the covers up to his chin, closing his eyes. Now that the excitement of messaging with Nico had worn off, he was exhausted. But before he fell asleep, he looked at his drawing pad again. At the bright, blue letters written in sloppy cursive.

I love you Nico.

…

Well, obviously he doesn't really love him now. But he will. In due time. Give Perce a break. This is very new for him.


	5. Chapter 5-First Fight

So, we've seen Percy in the mornings. I think it's only fair we see Nico as well. After all, it's time to get inside his head and see what he's really thinking.

…

Nico rose at six thirty, much like every morning. He wanted to be the first in the shower. Needless to say, living with two girls could get complicated. He tip-toed down the hall and locked himself in the bathroom, where he wasted no time stripping and getting his shower going. He stepped into the hot spray, gasping when it hit him for the first time. But he soon grew used to the hot temperature, and he began his morning ritual. He shampooed and rinsed his hair, then lathered himself with soap. He rinsed himself off, stepped out of the shower, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Then he studied himself in the mirror, looking for any sort of blemish or fault. As per usual, he found none. He cleaned his face, brushed his teeth, then moved down to his room to get dressed.

All this took less than ten minutes.

But shortly thereafter, his sisters would begin to stir, so Nico was happy for the extra alone time. He loved his sisters to death, but sometimes, a man just had to be alone. Sisters, especially one older and one younger, tended to suffocate you without meaning to do so. This particular morning, Nico stood in front of his improvised closet, trying to decide what to wear. And by "improvised closet" he meant three boxes of clothes stacked on top of each other. He removed the top two and searched his pants. He already had his boxers on, and he wasn't too worried about someone busting in. He normally pranced around in his boxers in the morning. No one had caught him thus far.

"Nico, you have a guest!" his mother called from down the hall. The dark-haired boy frowned. He wasn't expecting anyone. He hastily selected a pair of jeans and tugged them on.

"Send them down mother!" he called back, turning back to his boxes of clothing. He heard whoever it was enter, and he heard the sharp intake of breath, but he didn't turn to see who it was. He still had to select a shirt. He straightened and tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"God, you're beautiful," Nico heard behind him. He smiled and glanced over his shoulder. Jason was casually leaning against his wall, staring openly at the half-dressed figure. "You're such a tease," he added with a slight whine. "And you won't let me have any fun." Nico chuckled.

"Good thing I got half-dressed when I did," he replied cheekily. "I was prancing around in my underwear for awhile." Half-truth. He'd only been standing there for a couple minutes while he decided what to wear. "What's the weather outside like?" he asked the blonde boy, who was busy studying himself in the dark-haired boy's mirror. He picked up and comb and began to run it through his unruly blonde hair.

"Mild," Jason replied. "You may want a sweater. But the school will be hot." Nico opened another box and selected a purple long sleeved shirt. He slipped it on, and realized it had become a little snug. But it hugged his frame in the right way, so he would hardly complain. "Well, well now," Jason purred. "You should wear purple more often. You look smoking!" Nico laughed and shook his head. He was glad Jason was around. It made this new transition a little more bearable. At least he had someone to converse with that understood the struggle. "Ready to hit it?" Jason asked.

"You bet," Nico responded, picking his bag up off the ground. They made a detour into the kitchen to swipe some toast, then they walked to school. On the way passed Percy's house, Nico looked at it, hoping that the brunette boy would be sitting on the steps. Nothing. In fact, the house was still dark, motionless except for the occasional shadow that swept over the exterior. He sighed. Percy was probably mad at him for not messaging last night. But after the long day, coupled with the growing anxiety as Wednesday drew closer, the dark-haired boy just passed out from sheer exhaustion. He woke up at three in the morning, realized what happened, and promptly collapsed back onto his pillow, dismayed. He'd missed the chance to converse with Percy.

"You're quiet," Jason observed after a couple of minutes of silence. Nico started, but he still looked troubled. He'd crane his neck and try to peer back over his shoulder like he expected someone to be following them. Something clicked in the blonde's brain. "Is this about Percy?" he asked. Nico jerked his head to the side so fast he winced and a hand flew up to cradle the injured muscle. "Let me tell you now, you're barking up the wrong tree. Percy's as straight as they come."

"Yeah, I know," the dark-haired boy replied, massaging his injured neck gently. "But I never messaged with him last night, and he's bound to be upset or mad. It's not like we've done it a lot, but it's our nightly ritual. I feel so bad, but sleep claimed me long before it was time to sneak into my kitchen." Jason's eyebrows shot up, but he didn't comment on half of that.

"Little Percy, upset or mad?" he asked. "I've never seen him either before. I doubt he is. Just explain what happened. He's a very understanding boy. He won't blame you." Nico wished he had Jason's cool confidence, but until first hour came, he'd be a worried mess. He hated the idea of Percy mad or upset, maybe more than he'd care to admit out loud. He went back to his silent vigil, keeping one eye behind him at all times, just in case Percy sprang up from nowhere. "What do you think Percy thinks of our friendship?" Jason asked suddenly, more for the sake of asking a question than anything. And to distract Nico. His friend would be useless if he was constantly looking over his shoulder.

"Why would he mind it?" the dark-haired boy asked distractedly. "After all, he's the one that introduced us." Jason nodded patiently. He knew that of course. But still, he had a feeling their little friend was better at hiding his feelings than they'd given him credit for.

"I think Perce feels different than what he says," Jason began slowly. That certainly got the dark-haired boy's attention. He turned a curious gaze to the blonde. "He says he's cool with it, but did you see how he reacted yesterday when the two of us were together? He did his best to avoid us."

"That much I figured out myself," the dark-haired boy replied. "I just thought it was because he doesn't want to lose his friend…" He trailed off, looking at Jason. "He thinks highly of you, you know." Jason looked mildly surprised.

"He's the only one then," he mumbled under his breath. The, to Nico; "I don't think that's it. He knew you first, and all of a sudden he has to share you. Percy was never good at sharing his things. He probably wants you all to himself. Also, since we both have a similar problem…" He trailed off now, pitching his voice low for the next part. "It would be the logical thing to start secretly dating. As much as he would hate to admit it, that would drive him nuts."

"It would?" Nico asked thoughtfully. Percy never struck him as the jealous type. Probably because the little brunette was so mild mannered, it would be odd for him to be anything but. Nico did, however, see a very logical point behind what the blonde was saying. He and Jason did share a similar problem. The next step could very well be dating in secret. But Nico wouldn't do that to the little brunette. He was quite fond of him, and he wasn't one to toy with feelings. He had every intention of getting Percy comfortable enough with himself to admit he was different. He wouldn't live the floundering boy when he needed him most.

"Very much so," Jason responded with a nod. "Percy's very fond of you. I see it in the way he looks at you. Or rather, the way he looks away from you and smiles. You know the one. That little half-smile of his that may show a little embarrassment, but it's cute, especially when it only quirks up on one side." Nico nodded enthusiastically. He knew the one. It was the adorable smile he'd given the dark-haired boy after their first secret kiss. Before Nico told him they'd have to go inside the school soon. "I swear Nico, if you toy with his feelings and leave him broken-hearted, I will personally see to it that you get what you deserve. Percy's a sweet kid. He doesn't need his feelings messed with, then be left high and dry." Nico smiled a little at that. It was good that Jason had Percy's back. It showed he was a loyal friend.

"I won't Jay," he promised, laying a palm on the blonde's back. He'd seen a couple of the other guys do it at school, so he wasn't too worried about it. "I will never hurt him. And if I do, I'd rather be dead." He said it with so much sincerity, Jason believed him. He normally had good judgment. Nico seemed open and honest, good qualities in a guy. _Too bad he's taken_, he mused quietly to himself. _He'd be the perfect date_. "At the school Jay," Nico warned, and the two of them parted a little. They still walked side by side, but now they couldn't accidently brush shoulders or hands and get some curious looks from passersby's. They bypassed the cafeteria and the stairs to the library, instead heading straight for the computer lab. They had half an hour before school started, and Nico didn't expect Percy to be until much later. So, when the brunette walked it, he was a little surprised. "Percy!" he said, springing up. Percy turned to him, then he glanced behind him and spotted Jason. He stabbed a finger at the blonde.

"Did you walk here with him?" he asked. The dark-haired boy noticed the hint of accusation in his tone. _Oh I am so royally fucked_, he thought.

"Er, yes," he began awkwardly, his hand flying up to touch the back of his neck. Percy's sea-green eyes narrowed. "But he showed up at my house!" he exclaimed. "And that sounds horrible too. Percy…" The brunette held up his hand, and the dark-haired boy stopped mid-ramble.

"I'm happy for you guys," he said, his voice tight. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think my breakfast is about to make a reappearance." He bolted from the room, and Nico started after him. But Jason grabbed his wrist and hauled him back.

"Don't chase him!" he hissed. "It'll just make it worse. Give him time to cool down, and sit down and explain everything, starting last night when you collapsed from lack of sleep." Nico looked at the open doorway with longing. He wanted so bad to run after Percy. But Jason was right. Percy needed time to cool down. And feel better (if he was at all sick).

…

Percy's mom came and got him five minutes after school started. She promised him she'd take his banner to youth group tonight, but he was bedridden until whatever bug he'd caught went away. That sounded fine to the brunette. Seeing Nico and Jason there together this morning… Then finding out they'd walked to school together… That had been too much for his already churning stomach. His breakfast did indeed make a reappearance, steps before the bathroom door. The nurse was notified immediately, as was a janitor. The nurse whisked Percy away and plopped him down in her office, where she proceeded to call Sally.

"Feel better soon Percy," Sally said as she got him tucked in. Percy made pathetic mewling noises in favor of speaking. He wasn't interested in finding out what would happen if he opened his mouth to speak to his mother. She kissed his forehead, grabbed his banner off his desk, and left in a hurry. She'd been pulled away from work, and she had to get back as soon as she was able. Percy was old enough to take care of himself when he had a sick day. As soon as he heard her car pull away, he sat up in bed and put his head between his knees.

Why had he reacted in such a way? It wasn't like it was in any way his business. If Jason and Nico wanted companionship, and a relationship, with each other, he should be jumping up and down with joy. Jason was always so unhappy, being the only known gay boy in their town. He'd flirt, yes, but it was his least favorite thing to do at school. After every flirt session, he seemed a little more defeated. Nico was bringing a spark and a purpose back in Jason's life. Who was Percy to stop them?

He retrieved his laptop from his desk and sat back down on his bed. He logged into Facebook, but he had nothing new to report. So he surfed Tumblr for awhile, but after about half an hour the words began flowing together, so he abandoned that. Finally, curiosity got the better of him. He logged back into Firefox and pulled up Google. Something had been bugging him since he'd met Nico.

"How do you know if you're gay," he read aloud as he typed in the question. But he hesitated over the enter button. He couldn't bring himself to actually search it, and then have it on his history, so he closed Firefox and instead closed his laptop and set it aside. He scrubbed his face with his hands. "Am I gay?" he asked his ceiling. It didn't answer back, thank goodness. "No, of course not," he answered himself. "I've been raised straight, haven't I?" But Nico's voice penetrated his thoughts. _If you're gay, you're gay. It's as simple as that_… Then why wasn't it simple? Why was he even asking these questions? He was the good Christian boy. The one who was straight, who liked girls, but admittedly was open-minded and didn't mind other gays himself.

Percy didn't think he could sit comfortably in his bed anymore, so he got up and moved to the couch. He'd left his phone on the bar, as he did every morning before school, and he was surprised to find it vibrating insistently. He picked it up and carried it to the couch with him, where he turned on the TV and settled down for a lazy day. He stretched out on the couch and plopped his head on the arm. He closed his eyes and pictured Nico there with him. Telling him jokes to calm his jangled nerves. Absentmindedly toying with his hair as they talked. Leaning down and brushing his lips against his…

"Woah boy, easy now," he scolded himself. "That's bad thinking." But he somehow sensed it really wasn't all that bad. It was normal for people to think like this. He wasn't alone. There were other people like him, with doubts and insecurities. He remembered his phone, and he picked it up and squinted at the screen. It was insistently vibrating over five messages by an unknown number. He checked them out.

_Percy, it's Nico. Jason gave me your number. Plz talk to me._

_ Percy, I know you're getting these. Plz, let me explain. I miss you._

_ Algebra I and Italian II aren't as fun without you._

_ Answer me please. I need to talk to you._

_ Percy?_

Percy threw his phone into the chair and flipped onto his side, facing the couch. Something was playing on the TV, but he barely registered what it was. He really should text Nico back. After all, the dark-haired boy hadn't done anything wrong. It was Percy's own feelings getting in the way. Whatever they were. But he couldn't bring himself to do so. He didn't want to talk to Nico right now. Whether he'd meant to or not, he'd hurt the brunette.

…

Nico crouched by his kitchen window, tapping his drawing pad against his thigh. His flashlight was on the counter, waiting to give the signal. Percy hadn't returned any of his texts. So he assumed he'd want to talk in the way that was their custom. He got a slice of cake out of the fridge and sat down on the counter to eat. But he only managed a few bites before it felt like it might come back up. He was so nervous. What if Percy didn't actually want to talk? What if he didn't show at all? He raised another bite of cake to his mouth, but when he saw movement in Percy's house, his fork clattered to the countertop. He snatched up his flashlight and flashed it twice.

He bit his lower lip as he waited for some kind of sign. Percy filled the view of the window, hovering over the sink. He was filling a glass with water. Then he stood erect and tilted his head back, drinking. Desperately, Nico flashed his light again. Percy's gaze flicked to him. He held up his drawing pad.

_I'm so sorry. Plz talk to me!_ Percy eyed the drawing pad coolly, dumped the rest of his water in the sink, and strode away, flicking the light above the sink off in the process. Nico's heart sank through the floor. Percy didn't want to talk to him… He flipped to the page before that one, where a short but sweet message was written. He hadn't planned on showing it to Percy until he was good and ready, but now, if things kept up the way they were, he may never show it to him.

He went back to his room feeling discouraged. Maybe he'd made a bad judgment call walking to school with Jason, then sitting in the classroom with him. Obviously, Percy was hurt by that. Or jealous. Or even a combination of both. Jason said so himself; Percy didn't like to share what he thought was his. And Nico, even by the loosest definition, was his. He knew the dark-haired boy first.

"But he introduced us!" he argued to his walls. "That doesn't excuse my behavior, huh? Tomorrow, I'm going to visit him." That settled, he settled down for the night. But sleep was eluding him. All he could see was the hurt and betrayal in Percy's eyes when he discovered the dark-haired boy and the blonde in the computer lab together. But then he imaged Percy the way he looked at the park. The excited, scared boy experiencing his second brief kiss. The way he looked half-pinned beneath the dark-haired boy, unable to escape. But something about that moment had changed him. He felt he should have Nico.

Nico tossed and turned until his blanket tangled in his legs, then he threw the covers aside and sat against the headboard, gently smacking his head on it. He'd really messed things up. But he wasn't entirely to blame. Percy hadn't made things easy to explain. He'd just assumed Jason and Nico were together without hearing the dark-haired boy out. Nonetheless, Nico should've thought of how Percy would feel if he say the two of them together without anyone else there. Nico would certainly assume if he saw Percy and Jason together in this situation. He rolled onto his side and flipped open his drawing pad, staring at the neat, black bubble letters, filled in with a rainbow of color.

I love you Percy.

…

The poor boys. Their first fight. They grow up so fast. Did you honestly expect the only action to be when Percy outs himself?


	6. Chapter 6-All Figured Out?

The first fight is over with, and it's only Wednesday! What are they going to do by Sunday?

…

Percy felt horribly guilty for what he did to Nico, but in the heat of the moment, he was furious. How dare Nico not show, walk to school with his new boyfriend, then try and contact Percy like nothing had happened? That was an unfaithful boyfriend, first and foremost. His mother insisted he stay home Thursday as well, which suited Percy just fine. He didn't have to see the dark-haired boy and the blonde from his bedroom. While he slept in that morning, Nico apparently came knocking, but his mom sent him packing.

But now it was Friday. Percy was forced to go to school today, despite the fact his stomach was still churning. If he saw Nico and Jason together again, he was afraid of what would happen. He rose as six (simply because he couldn't sleep), showered, dressed himself, and ate breakfast. That barely took him passed six thirty. He still had an hour and a half until school started. Sighing, he pushed his way outside and sat down in the wooden swing attached to a tree in the front yard. He swung back and forth gently, frowning up at the swing thoughtfully. His stepdad first put it up for him when he was five, and it had survived a lot. Percy shivered and pulled his sweater tighter to himself.

"Looks like fun." Percy jerked up and found Jason striding across his lawn. He debated telling Jason to leave, but he wasn't that mean. Besides, it would look weird if he did. Before Nico moved in, Jason came over before school all the time. He only lived a block away, and if Percy sat in the swing, he could see him from his yard. "How are you feeling today?"

"Better I guess," the brunette mumbled, dropping his gaze. "Well, as better as you can feel when you missed two days of school." The blonde smirked and sat against the tree, closing his eyes. He had on dark jeans and a navy blue sweater. A typical Jason outfit. Percy continued to stare at him.

"Seen enough?" the blonde asked without opening his eyes. Percy started guiltily and turned away, blushing faintly.

"More than enough Grace," he said half-heartedly. He began to swing back and forth again, and the creaking of the ropes made him stop. He pursed his lips and launched himself off the swing, landing neatly on his feet. Jason rose from his place by the tree and they made their way out back. Percy mounted his trampoline and began to bounce. Jason leaned against the frame and watched him for a few silent minutes. "Why are you here this morning?" Percy asked, dropping to his knees by the edge. Jason looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "I always come over before school." But Percy shook his head and pointed next door.

"You should be with your boyfriend," he whispered bitterly. "After all, you guys did walk to school together." Recognition dawned on the blonde, and he laughed. Out of all the things to do, he laughed! Percy wasn't sure what he thought about that.

"You've got it all wrong Perce," Jason said, holding up his hands. "Let me fill you in, starting the night Nico didn't message with you." The brunette bristled and backed away. "Hey, hey now. Calm down. Nico told me a bit about it, but he left the subject matter private. He only does it with you after all." Percy nodded thoughtfully. That much was true. "He was so worked up about youth group on Wednesday, which he did go to by the way, that he passed out from exhaustion before he even got a chance to talk to you. I just dropped by the say hi, and we ended up walking to school together. And since we both avoid the lunchroom and library in the mornings, it was only logical we both go to the computer lab together. That's when you came in."

"So, not dating?" Percy asked softly. He thought he had this all figured out. He was so wrong. And now he felt even guiltier about it. Jason laughed and crawled up so he was sitting beside the brunette.

"So far from dating, it's comical," he replied. "It's you Nico wants anyway. He was going to run after you, but I know how you are. You've would've pushed back, and then you'd both be seriously emotionally hurt by this." Percy stared at the blonde as he talked, wrapping his arms around his knees. He'd been so awful to Nico after that, not even giving him a chance to explain, just assuming the worst. "Do you like him too?" Jason asked in a voice so soft the brunette could barely hear it.

"Of course I like him!" Percy said, surprised. "Why wouldn't I like him?" Jason shook his head.

"Alright, let me rephrase," he said. "Do you like him _that_ way? You know, the way that makes you all warm and fuzzy and sometimes leaves you breathless? Or maybe makes you want to kiss him?" Percy growled, and Jason's blue eyes widened in surprised. "I'm just saying Perce, you act like an overprotective boyfriend or mother, neither of which is true to my knowledge. If you like him, it's no big deal. He likes you that way." Percy thought back to their kiss, and how much it really meant to him.

"Okay, so maybe I have a tiny crush on him," he admitted. "But that hardly means anything. People feel oddly attracted to one person of the same sex sometimes. But I'm straight Jay. I can't be anything but." Jason shook his head fiercely.

"You can be what you damn well please," he practically growled. "It's a free country, and no one but you is going to tell you how you feel." His expression softened. "Percy, you've helped me through my transition, and if you really are…you know what…I can help you with yours. What are best friends for?" Percy gave him a wan smile. It was sweet Jason wanted to help him, but there was nothing he needed done. He was straight. That was that. He patted Jason's shoulder.

"Thanks Jay," he said. "But there's nothing I need help with. I've got things all figured out." Jason's eyebrows shot up into his bangs.

"Is that so?" he asked, gently shoving Percy back. The brunette grinned, sprang up, and pinned the blonde to the trampoline. Jason hooked his feet under the brunette and lightly tossed him off, throwing himself on top of him in the process. Percy laughed. He hadn't wrestled with Jason in quite some time. They used to do it a lot when they were kids. Jason was always a little bigger than Percy, and sometimes he'd let the brunette win on purpose. Sometimes, Percy got the best of him by himself. More often than not, the blonde one.

"Perseus Michael Jackson and Jason Reed Grace, pray tell, what are you doing?" Percy's mom asked, peeking out the back door. "I thought Jason was attacking you sweetie!" Percy blushed and sat up, dislodging the blushing blonde in the process. Jason scrambled away like Percy was on fire.

"We're just wrestling mom," Percy huffed. "You know, like we used to do when we were kids." Jason nodded so hard his sweater hood popped off his head. Percy chuckled. "Ease up Jay." The blonde shot him a look and climbed off the trampoline. Percy jumped down beside him. "We'll head to school since it is seven thirty," he promised. Satisfied, his mother ducked back inside the house. The brunette turned to the blonde. "Well, that was fun," he said, snatching up his bag. "But we should get to school." Jason nodded and picked up his own bag, slinging it carelessly over his shoulder. But he motioned to Nico's house.

"I'll walk to school with you on one condition," he said. "We go next door and kidnap Nico." Percy giggled and they cut across the backyard. Jason rapped on the backdoor while Percy hovered out of sight. Nico opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, talking quietly with Jason. With his attention directed elsewhere, Percy snuck up behind him and covered his eyes.

"Guess who," he whispered with a tiny smile. If he had to admit it, it was good to see Nico again. The dark-haired boy tore his hands free and whirled around, his eyes widening.

"Percy!" he said in delight, picking the brunette up and twirling him around. "Oh my god I missed you so much!" He squeezed Percy's middle until the brunette fought to get down. "Why haven't you been talking to me?" he asked, his earlier excitement leaving. He set the brunette on his own feet. "I'm really sorry about what happened Tuesday night. I…"

"Jason told me," the brunette interrupted. "And I should be apologizing to you. It was selfish of me to try and keep you to myself. After all, someone once told me, it's a free country." He shot a sideways glance at the blonde, who smiled and motioned for him to continue. "You should be able to have the friends you want, especially starting at a new school like you are." Nico laughed and shook his head.

"You are too good to be true," he said breathlessly. "Jay, look away." The blonde looked momentarily confused, but then he smiled knowingly and he politely turned so he was facing away from the brunette and the dark-haired boy. The brunette turned to the dark-haired boy, also confused, but that was before Nico turned him and kissed him. He turned him so if his mother and stepfather were to look out, they wouldn't see him. But he wanted to kiss him so bad. He released him almost as soon as he was done, and Jason promptly turned and steadied the brunette. "I'd say our little prodigy has some work to do," Nico told Jason with a smirk. The blonde snorted.

"A lot of work to do," he replied. Percy glared at Nico then at Jason. He had a feeling they were joking on his behalf, but he couldn't quite figure out why. "Aw Perce, it's okay," Jason said, pinching his cheek. "You're still new." He smacked the blonde's hand away.

"New to what?" he demanded. "I already told you Jay, and you too Nico, I'm not gay." Nico smirked again, pecking his cheek. The brunette's expression softened as he looked up at his new friend (since when was he the shortest guy? He knew he was the youngest, but not the shortest…). "Not gay," he repeated. Nico chuckled.

"Oh, we'll see about that one. Come one. It's time for school." He released the brunette (who hadn't been aware he'd been held in the first place) and went inside for his things. Percy turned to Jason.

"What does he mean by that?" he asked him, but the blonde simply shrugged.

"Whatever he wants it to mean," he replied. "You know how he can be." Percy wanted to argue he didn't, but he knew he did. He'd only known Nico less than a week, but already he thought he knew almost everything about him. "Here he comes," Jason whispered in the brunette's ear. Percy swiveled as Nico came out of his house. He wrapped an arm over each of their shoulders.

"Who's ready for school boys?" he asked them. Percy obediently raised his hand, then he chuckled. It would be an interesting day at school indeed.

"Say Nico," he said as the dark-haired boy steered them toward the school. "It's Friday night. If you don't already have plans, do you want to come spend the night?" Nico beamed at him.

"I would love to," he replied, and Percy felt a little thrill of excitement. Nico was spending the night at his house!

…

Percy barely registered what happened at school. He just knew he went from class to class, occasionally talking to people and collecting homework to be done Sunday night after church. All he could think about was his sleepover with Nico. What did one do at sleepovers? Percy had been to plenty, sure, but he'd never hosted. He shrugged. Nico seemed like a simple person to please. Food, movies, and a soft place to sleep would be suffice for him. He stood by his locker and daydreamed about what his night with Nico would be like. A lot of whispering, because his parents slept two doors down from him. And maybe he could crawl into Percy's bed and cuddle with him…

"You're lost in thought," Nico commented, coming up behind the brunette and startling him. "Woah there Perce," he said with a laugh. "Sorry I startled you." His amazing eyes were gold in the light of the hallway, making Percy wonder if he wore contacts. Or maybe he had mood eyes. The happier the mood he was in, the brighter his eyes got. Right now, he must have been really happy. "Can't wait for tonight?"

"I positively cannot wait," the brunette replied, grabbing his books and closing his locker. He led the way back to his house, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to make sure the dark-haired boy was still behind him. Nico waved every time he looked back, giving him a small smile. Finally, they reached the brunette's house. Percy unlocked the door and let them in.

"Hi mom! Hi dad!" he called, but with no answer. He waited a few minutes as he fixed a snack, but there was still no response. "Mom? Dad?" he called, peeking down the hall. "Where are you?" He turned to Nico. "They're both usually off by now." Nico tilted his head to the side thoughtfully.

"Maybe they both stayed late," he said. He kissed the side of Percy's head. "I'll be right back, okay? I'm going to go get a change of clothes and my toothbrush." Percy whimpered. "I won't be gone long," he assured the brunette. "I'm just going to grab clothes. I'll be back in two minutes, okay?" Reluctantly, the brunette nodded. He didn't want Nico to leave. But he sat down at the bar as Nico let himself out the back door. He began munching on his snack, crackers, sliced cheese, and sliced ham. His mother always made sure there was plenty of snack food at the ready. That's when he noticed the note.

"What's this?" he said, getting up and taking it off the fridge. "'Percy,'" he read quietly to himself. "'Your father and I decided to take a weekend for ourselves. We'll be back Sunday morning. There's plenty of food for you and if you need anything, the di Angelo's agreed to help and keep an eye on you. Have a fun weekend by yourself sweetie.'" Percy whooped and threw his hands in the air.

"What's that all about?" Nico asked, letting himself in. "I walk in and I see you celebrating." Percy threw his arms around the dark-haired boy and laughed delightedly. His mom and stepdad were gone until Sunday! That meant he and Nico wouldn't have to hide and cower if they actually wanted to do something that involved close contact! He waved the note in front of Nico.

"My parents are out of town," he said proudly. "And they'll be gone until Sunday. I have the whole house to myself until then. Granted, your parents are keeping an eye on me, but since you're here tonight, I don't think that'll be much of a problem." Nico laughed and twirled the brunette around. "This is going to be awesome!" Percy exclaimed. "And what do you want to do?" Nico motioned to the backyard.

"Trampoline?" he asked. Percy opened the backdoor and they both squeezed out and headed to the trampoline. Percy kicked off his shoes and vaulted lightly up. Nico clamored up after him. The dark-haired boy bounced around for a couple of minutes while the brunette stretched out on his back and stared at the sky. Finally, Nico plopped down beside him. "This is nice," he said, laying down and lacing his fingers behind his head. Percy turned to him.

"Why's that?" he asked. Nico propped himself up on his elbow and used his free hands to run his fingers down Percy's stomach. The brunette shivered. The touch was feather-light and wonderful feeling, and it left him feeling breathless and happy. "Why's that?" he asked again.

"I'll rephrase," Nico replied instead. "This isn't nice; this is perfect." Percy gaped at him. Was that true? The brunette was far from perfect. But Nico… Nico was perfect. "You're perfect," Nico whispered, leaning over and softly kissing the brunette. "Has anyone ever told you that before?"

"No," Percy said with a tiny shake of his head. "No one's ever called me perfect before." Nico tisked.

"Well it's their loss," Nico said, still running his fingers over the brunette's stomach. Suddenly, he wrapped his arm around him and drew him close. "Because you are, in every way, perfect. And very, very innocent." Percy snorted.

"What makes you say that?" he asked. Nico gazed at him until he looked away. "Alright, maybe I'm innocent," he admitted. "But this is my first time."

"First time with another boy?" Nico questioned, but Percy shook his head.

"First time with anybody," he replied. "I've never dated before." Nico grinned and kissed him again.  
"Then that makes me the luckiest guy on the planet," he replied. "Come on, let's go inside. We don't need anyone else witnessing this." Percy's sea-green eyes widened and he looked around. Had any of the neighbors seen them? "It's okay," Nico said, rubbing his shoulder. "They aren't looking. I looked around before I kissed you." He dropped off the trampoline, and Percy fell beside him. They picked up their shoes and made their way inside the house. Percy threw himself onto the couch. Nico helped himself to some cheese and crackers and joined him. "What should we do now?" he asked.

"Let's cuddle," Percy said, looking up at him. Nico smiled and stretched out on the couch. Percy crawled on top of him and Nico wrapped one arm loosely around him. Percy flipped on the TV and they laid in silence. "Nico?" he asked after about ten minutes. "How do you know if you're gay?" Nico looked up at him in surprise.

"I guess you just know," he replied. "Why, do you think you are?" Percy shook his head, blushing.

"No," he responded. "I was just wondering." But Nico wouldn't back down.

"I was scared when I was first coming out, and of all things, Wikipedia helped," he said. "There are some things that may suggest you're gay, but ultimately, it's your decision to make. No person or website can tell you how you can and can't feel. But back to matter at hand. If you daydream about the opposite sex more often than not, that might be a strong indication you're gay. Science has a little to do with it, but I'm not sure what. But sometimes, like in your case, it's innocent."

"Innocent…" Percy echoed. How innocent was it really? He'd daydreamed about Nico plenty of times, sometimes more than once or twice a day, and he always dreamed of him at night. Those dreams sometimes woke him up with a special little problem that needed fixing before his parents could see (how embarrassing would that be?). He'd kissed Nico, let Nico kiss him, and even invited him over to sleep, just so he could be near him. How innocent was that? "You're right, it's probably nothing," he said with a tiny shake of his head.

"Just mull it over," the dark-haired boy replied. "No one's rushing you. If you still think it's nothing after this weekend, it probably is. If not…well, the first step is admitting it to yourself first and foremost." Percy pursed his lips. He wasn't gay. He wasn't gay! So why did saying it leave a rotten taste in his mouth? And why did being with Nico feel so right?

…

Well, that was lovely. I'm glad they made up. You'll see more of the sleepover next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7-Caught!

I know I just finished the last chapter, but I couldn't wait! I'm trembling with anticipation (which should be a big red flag for you guys). Strap yourselves down. Things are about to get bumpy.

…

Percy got into his pajamas and crawled into bed. It was only eight, but he and Nico were going to watch TV in his room. Nico was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth and changing into his pajamas. Percy's parents left him a small amount of cash, so he ordered pizza for the two of them, and had it delivered to his house. Pepperoni and extra olives (that's what Nico got for telling him to pick whatever he wanted). Between the both of them, they polished off the whole pizza. Percy had already brushed his teeth and washed his face, and now he was waiting for Nico to return. He laid down and closed his eyes.

"Someone's eager for the movie," Nico said, leaning against the doorframe. Percy opened his eyes and looked at the dark-haired boy, smiling. "You know what makes this so great Perce?" Nico continued. "We can talk openly and freely this weekend. No having to hide or cower." Percy chuckled.

"That's what I was thinking," he said, scooting over. He patted the place beside him. "Here, you can sleep with me tonight." Nico crawled into the brunette's bed and wrapped his arms around him, securing him to himself. Percy snuggled in and turned his TV on. The Simpsons was the first thing that came on, but Percy changed it. It didn't have to deal with his Christian roots or the fact his parents didn't approve of this show, he just genuinely didn't like it. "What do you want to watch?" he asked.

"Gimme," Nico said, holding out his hand. Percy relinquished control of his remote to the dark-haired boy, who began surfing movie channels. He finally settled on Letters to Juliet and rewrapped his arms around the brunette. Percy rested his head on the dark-haired boy's chest, and Nico began to toy with his hair. Percy practically purred with pleasure. This felt nice, this lazy Friday night with Nico. In more ways than one. Being with Nico felt right in all the right ways, from the way he held him tight to the way he softly kissed him. Nico knew what he was doing, and he knew how to be patient. Percy wasn't gay of course, so there was nothing to be patient about. But it was sweet that Nico would be willing to wait to do anything more until he was ready. "God Percy, you are so adorable," Nico said suddenly. "I can't believe I have you all to myself.

"Believe it di Angelo," Percy said, closing his eyes. "I never invite people over, least of all people I just met. But you…you're something else." Nico leaned over and pecked his cheek. He was feeling giddy. He couldn't think of a more perfect way to spend this Friday night.

"Say Perce," he said slowly, and the brunette blinked his sea-green eyes open and looked at him. "About what you said earlier…" The brunette tensed in the dark-haired boy's grasp, and Nico hugged him to himself tighter. "It's okay. You know, one of the biggest indicators you might be gay is asking how you know you're gay. Or do research on it. Or question or doubt yourself. I'm not trying to pressure you by any means. I'm just telling you what I know." Percy shook his head.

"Please stop Nico," he said softly. "I already told you I'm not gay. I will never be gay. I can't be anything but straight. I don't know what about that is so hard to understand…" He trailed off. Yes he did. He didn't even believe it himself anymore. Maybe that's why the service about gays being an abomination affected him so much. "I'm not gay," he said at last. Nico looked down at him and shrugged.

"Whatever you say Perce," he replied. They went back to watching the movie, and the leading lady was just taking out the letters from the wall to read. Nico toyed with Percy's hair again, and the brunette closed his eyes. He was getting awfully sleepy… He sat up, much to the surprise of the dark-haired boy. "Is something wrong Perce?" he asked, also sitting up. "Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"No, no," the brunette hurriedly assured. "But with you toying my hair it was making it hard to stay awake. I don't want to fall asleep on you yet. It's still early. I want to have some fun."

"What do you want to do?" Nico asked. Percy grinned wickedly.

"You say that I'm gay," he said. "Let's see if you're right." He pushed himself up against the dark-haired boy and began to kiss him. Nico reacted with surprise at first, but soon he relaxed and wrapped his arms around the brunette, kissing him back. He slowly twisted them around until Percy was positioned with his back to the headboard. Still kissing him, Nico slowly pushed him down until he was laying more or less on top of him. Nico pulled away to catch his breath, and Percy's eyes fluttered open. He clawed desperately at the dark-haired boy's shirt, and Nico let him pry it off him. He removed Percy's shirt slowly, waiting for Percy to stop him, but he didn't. He lay, half naked, in front of the dark-haired boy, trembling with excitement. "Nico," he moaned, writhing around.

"Shh Perce," Nico said, forcing down a chuckle. Percy was even more adorable desperate and needy. "Someone is certainly excited," he commented, then looked down. He smirked. "Someone else is excited too." Percy looked down, flushed, and threw a pillow over himself. That was embarrassing. "Percy, whether you want to admit it or not, I think you're gay. That's just my opinion. You can decide whatever you want."

"I'm not gay," Percy insisted. "But I'll make an exception for you." Percy drew Nico down to himself, and Nico grinned. But he didn't kiss him again. Instead, his nimble fingers began exploring the brunette's body, starting at his shoulders and ending just above his pajama pants. Wherever he touched, it left behind a tingly filling. Percy whimpered. He didn't want all this teasing and prodding. He wanted more kisses. Nico laughed.

"Patience Percy, patience," Nico chided. "You'll get your kisses. But I want to get to know this perfect body of yours." Percy looked down as Nico ran his hands over his hips, moving down to his outer thigh. The top of Percy's boxers peeked invitingly out of his pajama pants, so Nico had a great view of the sky blue elastic. Experimentally, he slipped his hand up over the elastic, tracing the letters. Percy trembled. "Is this too much?" Nico asked. "I don't want to overwhelm you, especially if this is only experimental." He began to back away, but Percy dug his nails into the dark-haired boy's shoulders and held him in place. Nico hissed out a breath.

"No, no, don't go," Percy moaned. "This is so good. Please don't stop." Nico slowly smiled and lowered himself back down.

"Alright," he agreed. "But if it becomes too much for you, tell me, and I'll stop. The last thing I want to do to you tonight is hurt you. This is supposed to be a pleasant experience for you. Now can you please get your fingernails out of my skin?" Percy took his hands off the dark-haired boy's shoulders, and Nico rolled him around, checking. Percy hadn't drawn blood, and he was sure he hadn't done it on purpose. He moved back down and fingered the elastic of Percy's boxers one more time, then gently tugged his pants up so they weren't exposed. Maybe another night. But this was Percy's first time. He didn't want to frighten him. He slid back up and rested his hands on the brunette's hips. Percy moaned softly, and Nico smiled. Percy was responding to his every move and touch. That was a very good sign.

"More Nico, please. Gosh Nico more." Nico frowned at_ gosh_, but he didn't say anything. It would be weird to hear Percy swear anyway. He leaned down and brushed his lips against Percy's, feeling the brunette tremble beneath him once again. God, this felt so right it hurt. He wished he'd met someone like Percy in the city. At least then he wouldn't have to hide who he was. But, then again, meeting Percy himself was the biggest blessing to come out of moving to this accursed town. He ran his fingers gently over Percy's hips, and Percy moaned between kisses.

"PERSEUS MICHAEL JACKSON WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT BOY?!" Nico sprang away from Percy, and Percy bolted upright, tugging his covers up to his chin. He stared, wide-eyed, at his trembling, and very furious, stepfather. If looks could kill, Nico would be dead a hundred times over. Nico scrambled out of the bed and hastily put his shirt on. He threw Percy's at him, and the brunette slipped it on. Paul rounded on Nico. "OUT!" he screamed. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE AND NEVER LET ME SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN! IF YOU COME BACK I'LL ALL THE COPS, AFTER I'VE KILLED YOU AND BROUGHT YOU BACK TO LIFE!" Percy sprang up out of the bed.

"No dad, no!" Percy sobbed. "You can't do this! Nico has every right to be here! I invited him over!" The brunette's mom hovered behind Paul, staring at her son. Truth be told, she'd expected it all along. She knew her son was different, and he'd acted skittish and nervous all week. She just wasn't entirely sure what caused it. Now, she fully knew. Her son was gay. "Dad, it's not what it looks like…"

"NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE?! IT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE THAT MOSTER IS TURING MY SON GAY!" Paul was really worked up now. He rarely shouted at anyone, least of all Percy, but he was so beyond furious he didn't know what to think. How dare this boy, this abomination, come into his son's life and try and turn him gay? But Percy ducked in front of Nico, looking defiant.

"He's not turning me gay dad," he said stubbornly. "If you're gay, you're gay. It's as simple as that. I can't choose to be gay, any more than I can choose to be straight."

"You're straight and that's that," Paul said, though he did manage to lower his volume some. He knew yelling at his boy wouldn't do him any good. Percy tended to shut down when he was being forced into something. But the boy in front of him clearly wasn't shutting down. He stood in front of Nico like he was protecting him from a physical attack, his arms spread. "You're just confused son," Paul added gently. "Nico certainly is something, I'll admit that. I'm sure there are a lot of ladies willing to date him. But you certainly…"

"Dad, I'm not confused!" Percy shouted. He turned to Nico, ignoring his parents. "Nico, you were right all along, weren't you? Heh, guess I really am gay," He gave him a wan smile. "Thank you for helping me realize this sooner rather than later." Despite everything going on, Nico smiled.

"Paul, dear, let me speak to them alone, please," Sally spoke up, quietly and calmly. Paul turned to her, looking shocked. But he backed out of the room and retreated down the hall. "Percy, do you know why we came home?" Percy shook his head. He had been wondering that, but he didn't know. "We left our suitcase at home and didn't realize it until we got to the hotel. We came back for it, and we heard some noises we couldn't explain coming from your room. We came to investigate, and we found…well…" She motioned to Nico, and the dark-haired boy ducked his head guiltily. He'd gotten Percy in trouble. He'd never meant for that to happen.

"Mom, I'm really sorry, but I can't change who I am," Percy said miserably. He hated this. This was why he never wanted to confront his feelings. Why he wished he'd never meant Nico sometimes. But tonight was a night he was both miserable and glad. Nico left him feeling good about himself. "Nico told me it has something to do with science. But I think you have no control over it. It isn't a choice mommy." Percy pulled the 'mommy' card when he wanted to soften her up. "I think I've always liked boys, I've just never had the chance to explore it before." Sally held up her hand.

"Percy, it's okay," she said. "I'm not mad honey. I'm not disappointed. I've always known there was something special about you." Percy threw himself at her and sobbed into her shoulder. He was so relieved she understood. "It's Paul we have to work with. I think it's best if you leave for the night. I'm sure the di Angelo's will be more than happy to have you over." Percy looked at her.

"Mommy, are you kicking me out?" he asked, his lower lip trembled. Nico lurched forward and wrapped his hands around Percy. Sally smiled softly. Nico was good for her son, no matter what her husband said. While Percy had been skittish, the change when Nico arrived was astounding. Percy lacked some sort of happiness before Nico came into his life, and this scared fifteen-year-old boy put it back in his life. Sally could never repay him for that.

"Of course not sweetie," she said, smoothing down his hair. "I just want to talk to Paul without both of you boys around. Please Percy, can you go over to the di Angelo's for a couple days? I'll see you at church on Sunday, okay?" Wordlessly, the brunette nodded. He gathered up a few things, and his mom peeked out the door. Paul was in the living room, pacing in front of the window angrily. Sally led the two boys quietly down the hall to the kitchen. She opened the door and ushered them outside, where they sprinted across the backyards and into the safety of Nico's house.

…

"Shh Perce, it's okay," Nico soothed, rubbing his back. Percy was sobbing and clutching his pillow to his chest, looking plenty pitiful. His sobs attracted the whole family, and soon they were all trying to cheer him up. Maria told him that he could stay as long as he needed. Percy was grateful, of course, but he wanted to go back home and pretend this never happened. "Mom, dad, can you leave please?" Nico asked. His parents left, and Hazel and Bianca crowded closer. Percy looked up at them, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Am I an abomination?" he asked, looking at Nico. "That's what Paul called you, so that would be me now too, right?" Nico shook his head angrily. There was a special place in hell for people like Paul, destroying the self-confidence of a confused fifteen-year-old boy.

"Of course not," Nico cooed. "Paul's just a jerk and doesn't like change. You're still Percy, no matter what he says. You're middle name's Michael?" He did that purposely. He wanted to get the brunette's mind off this horrible night. Sniffling and wiping the tears away, Percy nodded.

"Mom named me Perseus Michael. Perseus after the old Greek hero, and Michael because it was my uncle's name. My uncle died when he was five though." Percy stared blankly at the wall as he talked. Nico sat down next to the brunette, and Percy plunked his head on his lap. He toyed with his hair. "I wish uncle Mike were here. He'd know what to say, I bet." Nico looked at his sisters, who were busy wiping tears of their own away. He was pretty sure he'd woken up Hazel when they'd come running into his room, because she came in here in her nightgown, her hair sticking out at weird angles and clutching her teddy bear she still slept with every night. Now, she set the bear beside Percy.

"Here Percy," she said. "You can sleep with him tonight. He wants to keep you company." Percy smiled at the twelve-year-old and hugged the bear to himself, closing his eyes. That was pretty obvious to Nico. He was ready for bed.

"Alright girls, I'm sure he'll be ready to talk tomorrow, but it's been an emotionally draining night. He needs sleep. Say goodnight." Bianca and Hazel whispered goodnights and tip-toed out of the room. Nico laid down and cuddled Percy up against him. "Goodnight Perce," Nico whispered, kissing his forehead. "I'm so sorry about everything. This never should've happened."

"I'm glad it did," Percy said, looking up. "Whatever I may think, deep down, I'm glad it did. Had Paul not come in like he did, I'd still be denying my feelings, and my sexuality. I can't deny it now, can I?" He chuckled sadly. "I'm sorry I had to tell you this way, but I couldn't stand by and let him yell at you. You were willing to stop but I wanted you to do more. Whatever happens Nico, we're in this together. You're not alone." Nico gazed at Percy, misty-eyed. This boy, this brave boy, was trying to comfort _him_ when he was the one in need of comforting.

"Thanks Percy," he whispered, pulling his blanket over both of them and tucking it around them. The last thing Percy needed tonight was sleeping by himself. That would definitely make him feel like he was alone. "You're not alone either. Tomorrow, we're finding us a support group with other Christians. You'll see, it's not so bad." Percy nodded thoughtfully and cuddled closet to the dark-haired boy, still clutching the teddy bear in one arm. Nico smiled. Hazel never let anyone else sleep with her bear. But then again, they'd never had a situation like this. Percy finally nodded off, but Nico still felt wired.

He should've known. Going after the good Christian boy was always a risk. But something about Percy just few Nico to him, and sooner or later they'd have to face the inevitable. Nico just hoped it would've been later rather than sooner. But there was one thing that he was certain of. Whatever happened, he would not allow Percy to be hurt. And he would never allow him to feel alone. He'd sooner sacrifice himself and his own happiness than see Percy suffer. Hell, he'd die before he let Percy be hurt any more than he already was.

"Nico?" The dark-haired boy looked up to find his mom hovering in the doorway. "May I come in?" He nodded, adjusting Percy so he could see her better. "He's out huh?" she asked, motioning to the small figure of the brunette.

"Yeah," Nico whispered. "He's had a rough night. He was probably exhausted. I'm glad he's asleep. At least he'll have a couple hours before the nightmares sink in…" That was the worst part of being outed in a way like that. You were plagued with nightmares about it. Nico planned to wake up each time Percy had them, because he didn't want his little brunette to feel alone. Not at all. "Mom, are we doing the right thing? By letting him stay here?"

"Where else can he go?" she asked. "He doesn't have any other family here, and if he went to Jason's it would look bad. The best thing for him is to be in a welcoming, supportive environment as he comes to terms with who he is." She came over and kissed Nico's forehead, then Percy's. The brunette stirred. "Is that Hazel's bear?" Maria asked.

"She's letting him sleep with it tonight," Nico replied. "I think it really is helping him feel better. Now mom, I know you want to talk, but it's late, and it's been a long night. I don't want to accidently wake him up. I love you and we can talk in the morning." Maria smiled and left, shutting the door softly behind her. Nico wrapped his arms tighter around Percy and settled in for a couple hours sleep. It was going to be a long and restless night.

…

The poor boys! I feel so bad, I really do! I hope things get better soon.


	8. Chapter 8-Unfinished Business

So, I've actually done research for this (because I had no idea if they even existed), and I've found two real sites that Percy and Nico are going to consult. The websites are properties of themselves. Bless these two boys, everyone!

…

Nico sat at the desk in the living room, occasionally glancing over his shoulder. He could see Percy in the kitchen, being fussed over by his mom and dad. He smiled a little. Percy looked a little weary from lack of sleep, but he looked a lot happier than he had last night. Bianca and Hazel came in and started fussing over him too, which he looked a little embarrassed about. He tried to give the bear back to Hazel, but she shook her head. Nico smiled. There was no worry about this being a welcoming and supportive environment for the brunette. They acted much the same way they had when Nico first came out to them.

"Whew!" Nico glanced sideways and saw Percy plopping down in the chair beside him, still clutching the bear. He had a plate of breakfast food in the other hand, which he looked unsure what to do with. Finally, he set it on the computer desk. "Whatcha doing?" he asked, peering over the dark-haired boy's shoulder.

"Looking for a good support group for us both," he replied without looking away. He typed furiously for a couple seconds. "A good Christian support group. There's plenty of Christians out there that love and support you, and you don't even know it." Percy gulped and sat back down heavily. He wasn't sure he was ready for all this. "I've found a couple," the dark-haired boy added, finally turning to look at the brunette. "The Gay Christian Network and Believe Out Loud. Both sound like they'd be wonderful. Which one do you want to look at first?"

"Believe Out Loud," Percy replied, resting his head on Nico's shoulders. He already felt exhausted, and he'd only been up for a couple of hours. Nico clicked on the link for the site and Percy saw a multi-colored cross with a rainbow of colors. His interest was piqued.

"They've been around for forty years," Nico informed him. "Really, what drew me to this was the t-shirt." He smirked as he stabbed his finger at the gray t-shirt in the corner of the screen. Percy smiled. It was a nice looking shirt. It had the Believe Out Loud logo on it, plus the cross. "I got a couple ordered," he said, turning and kissing the top of the brunette's head. "Maybe not to wear in public right away, but as you get more sure of yourself. There's nothing wrong with being proud of who you are."

"Not if it goes against everything you've been taught," Percy mumbled irritably. He was really tired now. He rubbed his eyes. "Do you have to look now?" he whined. Nico turned.

"Poor baby's tired huh?" he asked, logging out. "No, we don't have to look now. Do you want a nap?" Percy nodded. Nico led him down to his room and tucked him in. Percy whimpered. "What's wrong Perce?" he asked, sitting beside him. Percy plunked his head on Nico's lap. The dark-haired boy looked down at him. Sighing, he grabbed his laptop. "Okay, I'll stay in here with you," he said, smiling as the brunette curled himself into a ball and closed his eyes. The dark-haired boy logged onto his laptop and typed The Gay Christian Network into Google. He skipped the intro page and went to their chatroom. He'd made an account to talk to people on here, using the name NicotheAngel.

_Hey everyone! My name's Nico, obviously. I recently moved to a town that doesn't think too highly of Christian gays. I'm not sure why. But it isn't me I'm worried about. My neighbor and I got caught kissing last night at his house, and his stepfather ran us out. I just want to know what you all think about this._ He posted it and closed his laptop, staring down at Percy. He was still asleep, and soundly by the looks of it. Nico gingerly lifted his head and slipped out from under him. He set the brunette's head down and quietly made his way to the kitchen.

"How's he doing?" Nico looked up to find his sister sitting on the kitchen table, sipping something red from a glass. Wearily, Nico shrugged. As good as you could be for being violently outed. But of course he didn't say that out loud. He rooted through the fridge and finally got a bottle of water. He pushed himself up onto the counter and set it beside himself.

"He's tired," he said at last. "He woke up five times last night, trashing and crying. I feel so bad. I almost wish we hadn't moved in. Then he'd be home and happy." But Bianca shook her head.

"He wouldn't be happy," she pointed out. "No matter what way you look at, he wouldn't be happy at home. Heck, he'd probably be worse if we hadn't moved in. He'd still be denying who he really was." Nico sighed and raked his fingers through his hair.

"Is that such a bad thing?" he asked. "Realistically, in this town, is that such a bad thing? He'd be normal. He'd be able to walk down the fucking street without getting dirty looks. He'd be at home with his mom and stepdad, like he's supposed to be. They're supposed to be the ones comforting him and trying to help him through this realization. They're supposed to be doing all they can to make him happy. It isn't our problem. It isn't my problem. Bia, I'm the same age as him!"

"Am I a burden?" Nico turned, wide-eyed, to the doorway to the hall, where Percy was standing, clutching the teddy bear for dear life. "Am I a burden Nico? Is it too much for you to handle?" His lower lip trembled, and Bianca shot the dark-haired boy a hard look. Nico wanted to go drown himself in the tub. Why the hell did he say that again?

"God Perce that is not what I meant at all," he said, getting down and going over to the brunette. He wrapped his arms around the brunette. "I swear that isn't what I meant. I'm just angry with your stepdad. He should be the one here with you, telling you it's alright and that you're still the same old you." Percy buried his face in Nico's shirt, sniffling. He knew that of course, but what Nico said stung. He felt like he was being a burden. And a failure. This wasn't what good Christian boys in this town did. They followed the rules and were what they were taught. "Percy, I am so sorry for making you feel any less of yourself. I swore you wouldn't be alone in this, and you won't." He led the brunette over at the table and sat him down. He looked up at the dark-haired boy, who smiled. "Come on Perce, where's that smile that I love?" Percy ducked his head. "Alright then," Nico mumbled. "Are you hungry?"

"No," he whispered. "I'm not." Nico shut the fridge with a sigh. He couldn't seem to do anything right today. He sat down opposite Percy, with Bianca in between the both of them. She glanced curiously from her brother to his…friend (she wasn't sure what to call Percy). Percy hunched in his seat, looking broken and defeated. She nudged Nico and motioned to Percy. He circled around the table and sat down beside the brunette. He rubbed his shoulder and looked at his sister.

"Do you guys want to do something? Maybe Hazel can join us." Bianca smiled. Nico was going to try and distract Percy. It was the same technique she used when Nico first came out to them. By not thinking about it, it wasn't so bad. She rose.

"Let me go get her," she said. "Do you want to play The Game of Life Percy?" The brunette nodded eagerly. That was his favorite game. A few moments later, Bianca returned with Hazel and a battered box containing the game. The girls wasted no time in setting it up, and they all selected cars and drivers. Percy and Nico were starting their careers, and Bianca and Hazel were going to college. Sooner than he would've liked, Percy had to stop so he could get married. He reached for a little plastic pink figure.

"Here, let me," Nico said softly. He'd already gotten married, and he'd stuck a little blue figure in his car with him. He stuck a blue one in Percy's, noticing the way he flinched when he did it. "It's okay Percy. What's his name?" He tapped the little guy on his plastic head.

"Nico," he said automatically, looking at the dark-haired boy with a tiny grin. "His name is Nico." Nico chuckled.

"I think there's something funny going on," he said. "Because my husband's name is Percy." The brunette giggled, and Nico felt unexpectedly warmed by it. He was glad Percy was having fun. Percy landed on a space that said they were having twins. "Hey, look at that," the dark-haired boy said. "We had twins. What do you want?"

"Boys," Percy said, taking two more blue plastic figures and sticking them in his red car. "Let's name them." Nico wrapped an arm around the brunette's waist as he took his turn. He got to have a baby girl with Percy. Whoopee. He stuck a little pink plastic beauty in his car. "Name her too," Percy said with a smile.

"Have any ideas?" Nico asked, kissing the side of his head. He realized he hadn't been as affectionate today, and Percy must've felt like he'd done something wrong. "Let's name the twins first since they need more or less matching names."

"I've always liked the name Addison," he said. "I know it sounds like a girl name, but it's so pretty." Nico smiled. Whatever Percy wanted. "Avery and Addison," he said at last. "Those are our boys." Nico beamed.

"I get to name my little princess then," he said. "Hmmm, Ivy. I've always loved that name." Percy smiled up at him, and Nico leaned down and softly kissed him. Bianca and Hazel watched the exchange quietly, smiling at each other. Nico was very patient with Percy, and he was quick to try and please the broken brunette. They hadn't seen Nico this happy in a long time. Whatever happened, they hoped Percy would stay for a long time.

…

"That was fun," Percy said, throwing himself onto Nico's bed. The dark-haired boy smirked and settled beside him, balancing his laptop on his knee. He sighed onto The Gay Christian Network. "What's that?" the brunette asked, resting his head on Nico's shoulders. Nico typed his name into the search engine, and soon his post popped up. It already had three comments. Percy quickly read Nico's post. "Can you read them out loud?" he asked Nico. "I don't want to look."

"Of course Perce," the dark-haired boy replied. "Whatever you want. Today is your day. Ahem, this one is from worriedmother1945. 'Praying for you both! God bless you brave men! I'm really sorry to hear about your friend, but he isn't alone. There are plenty of other Christians out there, both young and old, that support him.'" Percy closed his eyes in an effort to keep the tears from welling. But there were tears of relief and joy. He was finally hearing support. "This one's from davidarland. 'Prayers are being sent your way, both from me and my youth group (we meet some Saturdays to discuss previous lessons). I really hope you come to accept yourself and still believe He has a plan for you.' And now, NikolastheRambler. 'I'm sorry to hear about your friend. But God always has a plan for him, and he loves him very much. Never lose faith. If either of you need to talk, you can message me or send me an email…' See Perce. So many people are loving and supporting you."

"But I want my mom and dad to support me," the brunette whispered, squeezing his eyes shut tighter. "I want their approval. I want them to be telling me all this. Not people I barely know." Nico set the computer aside and pulled Percy onto his lap, kissing his forehead. He knew that's what he wanted, but he wouldn't get that quite yet. He rubbed circles on Percy's back until the brunette was calmer. "Nico, we never did get to finish exploring," he whispered with a teary smile.

"Oh?" Nico asked, tilting his head to the side. He knew his mom and dad didn't mind as long as the pants stayed on (not like he wanted to have sex as a freshman anyway). "Are you sure Perce?" he asked, wringing his hands together. But the idea was an alluring one.

"You said it was my day," Percy protested, clawing at Nico's shirt. "You got to explore my body, but I never got to explore yours." Nico slipped his shirt off.

"Hold that thought," Nico said, getting up. Percy shed his shirt as Nico made his way to his door. He stuck his head into the hall. "No one bothers me for the next half hour or they're getting their heads separated from their bodies!" He shut and locked his door, then turned back to Percy, his eyes roaming hungrily over his half-naked body. Percy writhed, and Nico debated staying where he was and making his precious brunette squirm. But he'd already had enough heartache and teasing, so he crawled into the bed with him. He let Percy straddle him as he ran his fingers up and over his shoulders. Percy was leaning temptingly over the dark-haired boy, his black hair flipped over his sea-green eyes in an adorable way. "Having fun there?" Nico gritted out, catching a moan before it could escape. Percy's fingers were a tease.

"Very much so, yes," Percy replied. "If you think I'm perfect…" He left that thought alone as his hands travelled lower, caressing the flesh of the dark-haired boy's hips. Nico bucked, and automatic response to such a touch. Percy started, then grinned sheepishly at him. "Sorry for jumping," he apologized, a faint blush painting his cheeks pink.

"Percy, it's perfectly fine," Nico assured. "This is uncharted territory for you. Like last night, I want this to be pleasant for you." Then he winced. "Minus your dad busting in." Percy chuckled lowly.

"Yeah, before that it was nice," he admitted, sliding his hands down so they were running rhythmically over his outer thighs. Nico moaned quietly and dug his fingers into Percy's already tender shoulders. Percy gasped. "Nico, that hurts," he whimpered, and instantly Nico let go.

"Sorry," he apologized, but Percy wasn't listening anymore. His hands had explored everything he'd wanted them to, expect for one thing. Nico got to see his boxers last night (or part of them) so he wanted to see Nico's. He tugged Nico's pajama pants down until the red and black elastic was showing. Percy traced the letters with his thumb, and Nico moaned again. "Now I see why that feels so good," he got out, panting slightly. Percy beamed at him. He was happy now that he was getting to explore Nico's perfect body. He tugged the dark-haired boy's pants back up and moved up so they were face to face. "All done?" Nico asked with a little whine. He was rather happy being explored.

"Yeah," Percy said. Nico grabbed him and pulled him to himself, kissing him roughly. He had a little problem, curtesy of his little brunette explorer, but he could ignore if he was kissing him. "Um, Nico, you're poking me." Nico groaned and Percy giggled. "I get you excited?" he asked eagerly.

"Oh yeah," Nico said with a little laugh. "And I get you excited." Percy blushed and tried to cover himself, which made it all the more obvious. "It's okay Perce, we're perfectly safe in here. No one's going to bust in on us." Percy still looked at the door anxiously. This was about the time his stepdad barged in on him and Nico. Nico sighed. He hated seeing Percy like this. "Come here sweetie," he said, pulling Percy to himself. He kissed him softly, slowly winding his fingers through his hair. Percy rested his hands on Nico's hips.

"Can we stop now?" he asked, feeling little pangs of anxiety. Nico sat up and cradled the brunette to him, murmuring quietly and smoothing down his hair. "Sorry," he said, ducking his head in embarrassment. "I thought I was ready, but…but…"

"It's fine Percy, it's fine," Nico soothed. "We found your limit. That's good. So we can explore and kiss for awhile without you feeling too overwhelmed." Percy nodded slowly. It did feel good to explore Nico's body, he would admit that. "Hey, can I tell you something?" Nico asked. Percy tilted his head to the side. "Actually, let me show you," he said, grabbing his drawing pad. He flipped open to the right page and showed it to Percy. The brunette looked at it for a full minute, uncomprehending. Then he gasped.

"You…you love me?" he asked in disbelief. Nico smirked and set the drawing pad aside, wrapping his arms around the brunette's waist. "You can't love me," he insisted. "No one loves me. No one will love me."

"Shut up Perce," Nico chided gently. "People will love you. People already love you. I love you." Percy gaped at him. Nico laughed. "I am capable of love, you know," he added.

"I…I…" Percy stammered, but Nico held his finger up to his lips. He smiled kindly at him and kissed him again, short and sweet.

"You don't have to say it," Nico said. "Just like getting comfortable with yourself, no one's rushing you. You take all the time you need, okay?" He squeezed the brunette until he was gasping for breath, but the brunette was happy. Nico was patient and kind to him. He couldn't ask for much more.

…

"Paul, no! Stop! No!" Percy bolted upright, looking around wildly. It took him a moment to remember he was in Nico's room. The dark-haired boy stirred and opened his eyes. "Nico!" Percy sobbed, and the dark-haired boy sat up, wrapping his arms around him. "I had…"

"Shh," Nico interrupted, laying down with him, cradling him and smoothing down his hair. The motion was soothing, and soon Percy was calm again. "It's okay Percy," Nico continued sleepily. "It was just a nightmare, that's all. Paul can't get you here." Percy felt safe in Nico's embrace, and he snuggled closer to the dark-haired boy, closing his eyes. Nico tucked them back in. It was the second nightmare he'd had that night, and as usual, he cried out something about Paul. Nico didn't mind waking up with him. He didn't want Percy to have to deal with it alone.

…

This one's about two hundred words shorter than the last chapter, and I apologize for the fact.


	9. Chapter 9-More Than Meets the Eye

Well, a lot happened in the last chapter, but so much more will happen this chapter! May or may not be good, may or may not be bad. You'll have to read if you want to know.

…

Percy was so nervous for church, he couldn't tie his tie. He stood in front of the mirror in Nico's bathroom, untying the cursed piece of cloth for the third time to start over. But as he loped it around, he'd get to thinking about what could happen, and his hands would shake. Then he's miss a step or tie it too loosely or too tightly. Growling, he tried again, but with little to no success. He threw the tie aside, frowning at his reflection. He could just skip it, but his parents insisted on him wearing a tie to church. He might not have been on speaking terms with them, but that didn't mean he wanted to disrespect their rules.

"How's it coming in there Perce?" Percy sighed. Nico had been hovering over him all morning, probably because he could sense the brunette's distress. Nico wasn't any happier about this. His family was going to church as well, and if word arrived ahead of them, they'd be in for an uncomfortable experience. Percy threw open the door and sat down on the edge of the tub, holding the tie in his hand. "Having trouble?" Nico asked, kneeling beside him. He took the tie from the brunette and helped him tie it. He adjusted it and sat down beside the brunette.

"Nico, I don't want to do this," Percy admitted. "I don't want to face everyone at New Hope. What if Paul tells them before we arrive?" Nico was busy tying his own tie, but he kept one ear on the brunette. Satisfied with his work, he looked up and wrapped an arm around the brunette's waist, drawing a shy kiss from him.

"Whatever happens Perce, it'll be okay," he replied. "You have nothing to worry about. So what if Paul tells them? It's none of their business anyway. It should be a choice you make, who you tell and who you don't." Percy sighed. Why did he have to be gay? Why was he made like this? Almost like Nico could hear what he was saying, he said, "And don't doubt yourself. Be proud of who you are." He kissed his forehead. "I am. You're not only a very beautiful and perfect boy, you're very smart and caring." Percy smiled slightly. Nico was always trying to make him feel good about himself, especially since Friday night (and what an awful night it was). "Besides, who says Paul will tell them outright? You'd be an embarrassment to him then, and he doesn't seem like the guy to tolerate embarrassments.

"Thanks for the lovely words of wisdom," Percy said with a sigh, ducking his head. There was one thing that he was sure of, and that is if word got out about him being gay, Paul would disown him. Maybe his mother too because Paul would insist she'd do it. But she would hesitate. Percy knew his mom better than anyone, and he knew she loved him above all else except for her faith.

…

The play got postponed, which Percy almost wanted to cheer about. He'd forgotten all about it Friday night and all of Saturday. The reason they couldn't do it was because Malcolm (who was indeed going to play Noah) was out with the flu. Percy could've gladly kissed the blonde boy (but so far the only boy he'd kissed was Nico, and he was content to let it stay that way).

The boys agreed that sitting next to each other would look bad, even if Nico and his sisters had come to youth group and were here again. So Percy sat between Hazel and Bianca, and Nico sat on Hazel's other side. Percy did his best to concentrate on the sermon, but it felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He kept fidgeting in his seat, slouching only to sit back up straight again. If it got too bad, Hazel or Bianca would elbow him, then hand him a piece of candy. Before too long, Percy was doing it simply to get the candy they seemed to have an endless supply of. After his fifth piece, Nico turned and smirked at him. He knew the trick. Bianca and Hazel normally did that with him to keep him from disrupting whatever they were at. But nonetheless, he felt bad for Percy. He knew the reason for the brunette's constant movement. He was anxious. And feeling anxious was the worst feeling ever.

After the sermon (which wasn't about gays, it was about we are God's sheep), everyone went downstairs for lunch. Percy moved through the line with the di Angelo family, and if anyone thought it was strange, they didn't let on. He glanced around and his eyes lit on the youth group table. He headed that way and sat down in his usual spot. He noted, with some surprise, there had been three more chairs places out. No one sat in Malcolm's spot, most likely so they could feel like he was still here.

"That was so much better than last week's message," Annabeth whispered and there were murmurs of agreement as Nico, Bianca, and Hazel took their places. Somehow, one of the new chairs had been places next to Percy, so the dark-haired boy sat there. "Well, well," Annabeth said with a smile. "If it isn't Bianca, Nico, and Hazel di Angelo. What did you guys think?" Hazel looked up with wide, chocolate brown eyes. Percy almost laughed. He knew the trick.

"I thought it was good," she said, and Annabeth beamed at her. No one could resist a cute twelve-year-old girl, no matter who they were. "And this food is good too!" she said with a smile. Nico smirked into his plate of food. Hazel had the attention of all the youth group with her adorableness. Even Percy was watching her intently.

"That it is Hazel, that it is," Annabeth said, taking a bite of her own food. That was everyone's cue to go back to eating, and for awhile all you could hear was forks hitting plates and everyone softly chewing. Then, as custom, Leo toddled over and crawled onto Nico's lap. The dark-haired boy looked a little startled at the sudden appearance of the toddler, but soon he was smiling at the baby. Mrs. Valdez came over and smiled at them.

"Sorry guys," she apologized, right on cue. "Leo wanted to come eat with the 'big kids' again. Also, he's never met Bianca, Nico, and Hazel." Leo got off Nico and went to go sit with Bianca. She smiled at the baby and ruffled his curly hair. Leo smiled and held his arms out to Hazel, who took him. After her, he wanted Annabeth, then Percy. After Percy, he seemed satisfied and he got off and toddled away. Mrs. Valdez walked after him, calling his name softly as he walked around tables.

"Oh he's so cute!" Hazel said, smiling at the toddler. "How old is he?"

"He's one and a half," Percy replied with a smile of his own. If there was anyone who could make him smile, it was Leo. "He loves coming over to our table after church and being passed around by all the different youth group members. Though he normally goes to everyone." Nico observed the way Percy was when he was talking about Leo, and it was amazing. The brunette started to relax. He'd been wound tight the entire time they were there. He rested his palm on the brunette's back, and he turned to look at him.

"Bianca, Nico, Hazel, Percy, time to go!" Mr. di Angelo called from the doorway. Mrs. di Angelo was already out the door, and he was waiting for the kids. Annabeth turned curiously to Percy.

"Did they adopt you or something?" she asked. Percy flushed. He hadn't thought that he'd need to explain why he was with Nico's family and not his own. Nico solved the problem for him. He slung an arm over the brunette's shoulders.

"He's coming over to help me with homework," he replied in a very serious tone. So serious, Percy couldn't help but giggle. "We talked about it last night. He's free after church after all." Annabeth smiled. That much she knew. Percy never did much on Sundays. Or any days for that matter. Percy wasn't much of a social butterfly, but he had enough friends to say he wasn't anti-social. Jason was a favorite of his, she knew. In fact, she'd seen the blonde boy talking with him the other day before school.

"Boys, we can't wait all day," Mr. di Angelo said, tapping his foot. He was happy his son and the neighbor boy were being social, but they really had to get home. He'd already ushered his daughters outside. Now he was waiting on the two boys. Nico broke away and sauntered over, giving his dad a look. Percy talked quietly with the blonde girl for a few more moments before briskly following his son. Mr. di Angelo followed behind Percy, gently resting his hand on the boy's shoulder. He looked back over his shoulder. "That wasn't too bad," he whispered as they all got in the car. Hazel was seated between her mom and dad in the front. Bianca was behind the passenger seat, Nico was in the middle, and Percy was behind the driver's seat.

"No, it wasn't," Percy said as he buckled himself in. Nico took his hand in his and rested them on the seat between them. "Paul must not have told them anything. But I still felt like at any moment something would go horribly wrong." He rested his head on Nico's shoulder. He felt drained of energy after that. But at least nothing major had happened. "Can we invite Jason over?" he asked, turning to Nico. "I haven't talked to him since Friday. I kinda miss him." Nico smiled.

"Alright," he said at last, kissing the brunette's forehead. "No getting jealous, alright?" Percy snorted. Now that Nico was more or less his, he wasn't too worried about the blonde. Besides, Jason was his good friend as well as Nico's. He didn't believe the blonde would be evil enough to go after the dark-haired boy. "We're here," he whispered, and Percy sighed. He wanted this car to keep driving and never bring him back to this town. But he climbed out and waited for Nico to follow him. Then he trailed behind the dark-haired boy as they went inside the house. Nico went to work inviting Jason over while Percy went to Nico's room and sank down on the bed. Now that they were away from the church, he felt the tears forming.

"Nico," he called hoarsely with no hope of the dark-haired boy hearing him. His shoulders shook as the tears fell. And, almost like magic, Nico was at his side, steadying his shoulders and whispering quietly to him. Nico really was a blessing. Jason ended up shoving his way into the dark-haired boy's room and stopping short when he saw the two huddled figures. He knelt in front of Percy and looked at him until the brunette looked up.

"What happened Perce?" he asked. Percy opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He turned and buried his face in Nico's dress shirt. The dark-haired boy smoothed his hair down and turned to the blonde.

"We were caught kissing in Percy's room Friday night," he said. Jason's blue eyes widened as he looked at Percy. "Paul caught us," he added meaningfully. Jason groaned. It would've been one thing if the brunette's mother had caught them. But Paul…

"I'm so sorry Percy," he whispered. "That's awful." Percy nodded and clutched Nico's shirt in his hand. They'd yet to undress from church, but the rough feel of the dark-haired boy's dress shirt was comforting. "Hey, one good thing came out of it," the blonde said cheerfully. The brunette looked at him quizzically. "Look what you're doing," Jason said with a tiny smile. "You weren't really doing that before you were caught." Percy sniffed and smiled.

"I guess," he replied. "Don't get me wrong, I still wish that it wouldn't have happened. But I'll take anything good out of it." He began to play with Nico's tie, and the dark-haired boy smiled down at him, resting his chin on the top of his head.

"He's done talking," he told the blonde. "So, I don't really know why he wanted you over here, but he did." The brunette looked up at Nico, then turned to Jason.

"Tell him about how the youth group found out you're gay," he ordered. Jason chuckled. He could very well say no, but he didn't want to do that to his little Percy. He'd been through enough. Besides, it was a rather interesting tale.

"Yes sir," he said with a mock salute. He turned to Nico, who was gazing at him quizzically. Percy began untying the dark-haired boy's tie, but if Nico knew it, he didn't let on. Jason shook his head. Nico was really making an effort to make Percy feel better. _He probably thinks the whole thing's his fault_, Jason mused to himself. He certainly would. "It's kinda funny how they found out, actually," he said. "I've never been much of a churchgoer, but the youth group took a liking to me anyway, which within itself was odd. I'd never thought much of it, though I knew in this town you had to hide who you were, so I was careful, but not careful enough. It's almost ironic how they found out. I was logging onto my laptop, and Annabeth was standing over my shoulder. Up pops a shirtless Adam Levine."

"Oh no way," Nico said with a laugh. "Seriously? That guy's hot!" Percy whimpered. "For a celebrity who is way out of my reach Perce," he said without looking down. "You've nothing to fear." He wrapped his arms around the brunette, feeling his tie slide around his neck as Percy pulled it away. Why he was undressing him the dark-haired boy hadn't the faintest, but he was content to let him do whatever he wanted. "So what happened then?" he asked the blonde. Jason shrugged.

"She asked, kind of jokingly, 'What are you, gay?' I replied with as much seriousness as I could muster, 'Yes.' After that, the rest of the youth group knew. But they've been pretty good about it. Never making me feel like I'm worthless or an abomination like the bible claims I am. Including me in activities and the occasional sleepover. Making me feel proud of who I am." He turned to the brunette, who'd nodded off as he talked. "It might do him some good to come out to them," he whispered. "They won't treat him any differently." Nico's grip on Percy tightened. He was glad the brunette was asleep. More nightmares plagued him last night, and all through church he'd had the emotions sucked out of him.

"It's his decision to make," Nico replied. "Maybe in time he will. But he still needs to get comfortable with himself before he's comfortable with others knowing." Jason nodded. He knew this of course. Realizing your sexuality, and coming to terms with it and learning to accept yourself, was not a straight road. It had many curves, dips, and bumps. As long as Percy had a good support system, though, the road would be a lot easier to navigate. "I just want him to be happy. Does this look like a happy boy?" Jason peered at him closely.

"It actually looks like a sleepy boy to me," he said, completely straight-faced. Nico gave him a look that would make monsters cower and set Percy aside, gently tucking him in. Percy mumbled absently in his sleep and curled into a ball. Nico smiled, leaned down, and kissed his forehead. He led Jason out of his room and closed to door softly behind him. He wanted Percy to get as much sleep as he could. The two boys made their way into the kitchen and sat at the table. Bianca was sitting on the counter, munching on apple slices.

"Well, if it isn't the gay blonde boy!" she said with a smile, holding her apple out. "What brings you here blondie?" Jason wrinkled his nose in amusement. Bianca didn't strike him as a particularly funny person, but she enjoyed poking fun at him. Jason took it in stride. He thought of it as her considering him normal.

"Percy summoned me," Jason said. "I guess he wanted me to tell your brother the story of how the youth group found out I was gay. But during story time, he fell asleep. So, here we are." He spread his hands dramatically, and Bianca giggled. "I have no idea what we're going to do now that our mediator is asleep." Nico rolled his eyes.

"We can do whatever as long as we don't go too far," he replied. "If we leave, we have to wake him up, and I don't want to do that." Jason nodded. He filed that thought away for later. "Wanna go out back?" he asked, then he frowned. "Oh, that might be a bad idea. Paul might be waiting for us to go out back." Jason sighed.

"I hope whatever is biting him in the ass goes away soon," he said. "Because Percy needs to go back home and be with him mom. Not that you guys aren't being super to him. But he needs his family for this. It's a big change, and often a confusing one." Nico nodded. He'd been having similar thoughts. He loved having Percy here with him, but he needed his mom. He needed his family. Nico might've been a lot of things, but he wasn't the brunette's family.

"I know Jason," he groaned, putting his forehead on the table. "God, I know it so much it hurts. But what can I do? I'm not his stepdad, nor do I wish to be his stepdad. I also can't change his stepdad's mind overnight. Not only is it a long road for Percy, it's a long road for Paul." Jason slouched in his seat, staring glumly at the fridge. Nico was right, of course. But that didn't stop the sadness Jason felt for his friend. And the guilt Nico felt for his almost-boyfriend (he really couldn't call Percy his friend, but they weren't formally going out). "If I could do one thing over again, I would say no when he asked if we could 'experiment.'" He put air quotes around the word experiment. "I'd be sure the damn door was locked. Like it would've done much. But maybe it would've made a little more noise."

"Well, you can't change the past," Jason said. "But you can change the future, if only slightly. Keep making sure he has a happy one to look forward to. You might not feel like you can do much for him, but that's the best thing you can offer. Just making sure his future looks bright and happy." Nico sighed. A good job he'd done with that one. He'd forced Percy to confront his parents, then got him kicked out of his house. "Don't beat yourself up Nico," Jason said, reaching out and laying a palm on his shoulder. "Everything happens for a reason. It might not be clear what it is right now, but there was a reason for it." Nico shook his head.

"Absolutely amazing," he said. "You've got quite the thinker on your shoulders Jay." The blonde shrugged. Nico tilted his head to the side. "Do you hear that?" he asked the blonde. Jason titled his head to the side too, listening intently. It sounded like muffled sobs and someone calling Nico's name. "You can stick around if you want, but I've got to go crawl into bed with him," the dark-haired boy said. He remained in his seat to see what the blonde would say, but the blonde knew he was anxious to get back and comfort the distraught brunette.

"I think I'll be on my way," Jason said, rising. "It was good talking to…" He never got to finish that thought. Nico bolted down the hall and Jason saw him slip inside his room. Almost abruptly, the sobs stopped. He shook his head. He wished he'd had someone to do that with him when he first came out. It would've made it so much easier. Bianca followed his gaze and smiled softly at her brother's room.

"Nico's good for Percy," she said mildly, startling the blonde. "But Percy's good for Nico, too." Jason turned to look at her.

"Is that right?" he asked, moving toward the door. He didn't talk to Bianca much, but their conversations only lasted a couple sentences.

"Of course," Bianca said, sighing. "He gives Nico purpose. He was accepted in the city, but he wasn't happy. People tolerated him at best." Now Jason was really curious. Was there more to Nico than meets the eye? "Percy gives him a reason to stick around." This time, Jason looked her dead in the eyes.

"What did he do?" he asked her. She shrugged and rubbed her arms like she was cold. The blonde got chills. Whatever the answer, it wouldn't be a good one.

"He tried to commit suicide," she replied.

…

One of those famous stopping points you all love so much. Hidden depths to Nico di Angelo next chapter.


	10. Chapter 10-Demons

You ask why I end it cliffy? It makes you want to read more, does it not? Granted, sitting on the edge of your seat might not feel that great, but it's better than being bored with the story. This is a very complex plot.

…

"Nico tried to?" Jason asked, not quite believing it. That didn't seem like the Nico he knew. The Nico he knew was grounded. And very much alive. Bianca clamped her hand over the blonde boy's mouth, casting glances at the living room. Her parents were there, watching TV and chatting quietly to themselves. They didn't like talking about what Nico did. They didn't pretend it never happened, but they certainly didn't like to discuss it with outsiders. Her hand still clamped over his mouth, she steered him to her room, shutting the door behind her. Hazel was sitting at the desk in their room, working on something. But at their sudden appearance, she looked up.

"Oooh, it's Jason," she said, turning around in the chair and draping her arms over the back. "What brings you to our room Jason? Didn't want to comfort Percy." Bianca finally took her hand away, and Jason gasped for breath. He'd been able to breathe out his nose, but not well. Bianca sank down on the bed, turning to the blonde. Being in a room with two admittedly pretty girls would make most people uncomfortable, but Jason wasn't the least bit phased. It was kind of like when Thalia had friends over. The concept was about the same.

"I was telling him about Nico," Bianca said, and Hazel's brown eyes flew open wide. She had a good startled look, Jason decided in his head. "Yes, he tried to commit suicide," she continued in a hushed tone. _It's kind of like talking about homosexuality_, Jason thought. Very taboo. "If you look closely at him, and most people don't, you'll see scars on his wrists. They're fading, but they're there."

"He cut?" Jason asked, his hands flying up to his own wrists. He had a couple cuts, but he wasn't an avid cutter. He didn't firmly believe in that kind of thing. Especially when it amounted to ending your own life. Jason tugged his sleeves down until they covered a great portion of his hand as well. Bianca noticed the action, but decided not to say anything about it. Everyone had demons, and everyone dealt with them in different ways. She hoped Percy, with his innocence still mostly intact, wouldn't turn to something as disgusting as cutting to ease the emotional pain. It could destroy you.

"Very much," she replied. Hazel's gaze dropped to her lap. This was a very sensitive subject for both girls. They'd nearly lost their only brother because of his bad habit. "We always thought he was happy enough to get by. He had friends. Granted, not as many as before he outed himself, but he had friends. As far as we knew he wasn't bullied. He had a pretty good life. So it seemed on the outside."

"Demons are nasty," Jason said softly, running his fingers over his own puckered skin. They weren't new cuts by any means, but the raised skin indicated they were made not terribly long ago. "On the outside everything seems fine, but it's the inside you really need to worry about. They eat away at your resolve and sanity, only to push you over the edge when you're most vulnerable." Hazel closed her eyes. She hated talking about the time Nico was "sick" (as they liked to call it amongst themselves). She'd only been ten when it happened. So for a year she didn't really see her brother much. They'd taken him to a place to get better. He'd gotten a little happier, but moving here sealed the deal. He'd found someone who made him genuinely happy.

"Well put," Bianca said at last, cutting the tension that had grown as they sat in silence. "Well put indeed. You're quite smart, aren't you?" Jason nodded, but he still looked troubled. He never liked finding out something awful like that about his friends. "To this day we wonder what drove him to that," Bianca continued.

"It's an internal thing," the blonde replied without thinking. Bianca turned a startled look on him, and he blushed. "I do know a thing or two about demons." He tugged his sleeves up and showed them his cuts. "It could be because of poor self-esteem. Maybe he didn't think highly of himself after he was outed. People react in different ways, both the one outing themselves, and the ones they tell. Maybe Nico didn't feel like he was worth much after that. I can't say what he was thinking, I'm only giving my input."

"What makes you do it," Hazel asked him. Jason smiled. It was a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"It drives me mad not being able to talk openly about who I am," he said. "There's almost nowhere in this town that's a safe haven for gays, especially when they want to talk. I also sometimes believe maybe I am the abomination they all claim I am." Just talking about his demons was a huge relief. "But normally I can make the pain go away another way. Listening to music always helps. I dabble in poetry; it's a good stress reliever. Or I go and talk to Percy. He may not know it, but he's probably saved my life a handful of times."

"I have?" Three heads turned to surprise to the two figures leaning against the doorframe.

"How long have you been there?" Jason asked when he recovered. Nico looked at his sister and then at Jason. Percy stared at Jason like he was an interesting package he didn't remember ordering but had mysteriously appeared on his doorstep.

"Long enough to know Jason and I have a similar problem," Nico replied. "And now Percy knows too, which doesn't do my anchor position much good." Percy smirked. He didn't think less of Nico because of it. He'd obviously survived because his family deeply cared about him. And look at him now. He'd come from a very, very deep hole he'd dug himself. If he could do that, Percy could get through his transition. It would seem like child's play compared to that. "Jason, whatever you do, whatever happens, don't ever cut again. It can take control of your life, no matter what precautions you take."

"I didn't plan to," Jason replied in a completely even voice. He wasn't sure how he liked his conversation now. Nico smiled a little and clapped him on the back.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, or even just a place to feel safe and secure, our door is always open," Nico said. "Same to you too Perce, when you eventually go home. And Percy?" The brunette looked at the dark-haired boy. "The second you start cutting, if you do at all, I will know about it. And it won't be a pretty ending for you." Percy gulped.

"Alright Nico," he said at last, and Jason smiled at him.

"You too blondie. I'm not letting either of you get to the point I did. It's so awful. And those facilities they take you to are lousy. At least, the one I went to was. It's depressing. And neither of you depressing." Percy and Jason exchanged looks. Since when did Nico get to play mama? "Did you boys hear me?" he asked. Percy and Jason looked at each other, then grinned.

"Yes mama!" they said in perfect unison. They'd perfected talking at the same time over the years. Nico looked a little stunned, but Bianca and Hazel roared with laughter. The heavy mood seemed to have lifted with Percy and Jason's little joke. Finally, Nico laughed too. He wrapped and arm around Percy and ruffled Jason's hair.

"You boys," he said with a shake of his head. But now that Percy was in his embrace, he was curious. Nico was still in his long sleeved dress shirt, and he began to roll the sleeve up. Nico removed his hand. "What are you doing Perce?" he asked. He didn't seem mad, just curious.

"I want to see the scars," he said. Somehow, knowing Nico wasn't completely perfect made him feel a little better. He felt guilty for the fact, but he shook it off. "Please?" he added, batting his eyelashes. Nico sighed.

"Damn you and your puppy dog eyes," he said, rolling his sleeves up. "Alright." He flipped his arms over and Percy studied his wrists. Three faint white lines on each wrist confirmed that Nico really had tried to end his life. Each cut was about four inches across. Percy ran his fingers lightly over the scars, and Nico winced. "Still feels tender," he said with a little laugh.

"Why'd you do it?" Percy asked softly. Nico tugged his sleeves back down and stared thoughtfully at the wall.

"Mmmm, I was feeling worthless," he said at last. "I felt like I couldn't do anything right. I'd messed up some other things we won't go into detail about at this point in time, but being gay took the cake. My only thoughts were, "Why I am this way? Is it a mistake?" Those thoughts swirled around my head constantly, battering at my resolve. I'd been cutting before that, but nothing serious. I guess I just…snapped." Bianca and Hazel stared at him in amazement. They'd asked him repeatedly why he'd done it, but he'd never given them a response. Yet he told the boy her barely knew? "It's something as simple as that, really. That's the kind of thing that drives you over the edge."

"Please don't feel that way again," Percy whispered, running his fingers over the spot where the scars were. Nico wrapped his arms around the brunette's waist and drew him closer. The brunette was painfully aware of three other sets of eyes on him and Nico, but he pushed the thought aside. It was his and Nico's turn.

"I won't," he promised with a tiny smile. "This time I have you. The biggest blessing of my life." Percy blushed and looked down. He loved Nico's sentimental side, but sometimes it got a bit much. Nico laughed and kissed his forehead. "I mean it Perce. You've made this move worthwhile. It gives me purpose, and a reason to stick around. If it wasn't for you, I'd be gone." He looked over Percy's head and locked eyes with Bianca. She dipped her chin in a half-nod, meaning that, yes, she knew that. When they were told they were moving, she half expected Nico to try and make his way back to the city. But that was before they'd met Percy. Percy gave Nico purpose. And he gave him a reason to not sink back into the hole Nico had dug for himself long ago. If he sunk that low again, he'd drag Percy with him. Bianca knew Nico would do everything in his power to keep that from happening. She never wanted him to stoop that low again; he never wanted to see Percy stoop that low ever.

"Well, let's move onto something more cheery," Nico said with a clap, startling Hazel and Jason. Percy and Bianca smirked at each other. Nico would never change.

…

They broke out The Game of Life, but this time every single car was taken, and the board was crowded. Many laughs and jaunts followed. This time when Percy got married, he didn't hesitate. He stuck a little blue guy in his car with him. Nico had already passed it with his little blue guy, and he smiled at Percy. He'd already come a long way. Given more time, he'd be comfortable with himself. Percy laughed as Jason pulled up beside him and grabbed his own groom, sticking him in the orange car, in the back.

"He's been bad," Jason said with a small smile. "Now he must sit in back with our future children." Percy smiled. It was good to see Jason so open about who he was. He'd seen the lengths Jason went to in order to keep who he was hidden. It was painful to watch. But in this town, he'd pretty much be banished if anyone found out outside of the youth group.

"What's his name?" Hazel asked, tapping Jason's husband. Jason blushed and looked down. Percy looked at him with new interest. Jason's reaction indicated something.

"It's okay Jason," he said, reaching out and rubbing his arm. Jason smiled at him, though he didn't look up. "Who is it? Is he real?" Slowly, Jason nodded, looking up.

"Yeah," he said. "He's real. I've been dating him for three months now. I just wasn't sure if I should tell anyone. His name's Luke. He's a grade older than us." He looked at Percy as he spoke. "I met him on a trip to the city and we hit it off." He shrugged. "He's great." Percy smiled and squeezed Jason's arm.

"I'm happy for you Jay," he said. If anyone deserved happiness, it was Jason. And this boy clearly made the blonde happy. As he spoke, his eyes lit up. "We all are," he added, nodding to the three siblings. Three nodding heads confirmed it. Jason looked relieved that he had support for this too. For three months, he debated the best way to tell Percy. He knew his best friend would support him no matter what, but actually having a boyfriend left him feeling scared shitless. It just made the whole situation more real.

"Well," Bianca said at last, and the blonde and the brunette looked at her. She motioned to the board. "It's Percy's turn." Percy took his turn, missing the twins square by one. He was kind of disappointed. He wanted Addison and Avery back. Another ten minutes and Nico won the game, sliding into retirement with a mansion and three children in addition to his husband (he affectionately called Percy is fourth child). Percy followed suit soon after, which left Jason sandwiched between the two girls. Hazel came in third, and Bianca came in fourth at the last minute. That meant Jason finished last. But he shrugged it away, smiling as he picked up his little car. He and Luke had four children; one boy, one girl, and twins (he decided they would both be girls).

"That was fun," the blonde said, leaning back in seat. He hadn't had this much fun since he and Luke went out to eat for their one month anniversary (and what a time it had been). Percy sat back in his seat too, rubbing his eyes. Now that the excitement was wearing down, he was getting tired again. Nico pulled him out of his seat and dropped him onto his lap. Percy curled up and tucked his head neatly under Nico's chin, closing his eyes. Nico kept talking like nothing had happened.

"He's too cute," Bianca said, motioning to the sleeping brunette. Nico smiled, smoothing down Percy's hair in the way he did to keep him asleep. "Maybe you should go tuck him in?" she suggested. But the dark-haired boy shook his head.

"He's fine," he replied. "He likes to know when we're talking about him." On cue (or maybe by sheer chance), Percy mumbled in his sleep. "See," Nico said with a smirk. "He likes being included, what can I say?" The other three laughed, and after some more talking, Jason rose.

"I best be going," he said. "Mom and dad will want me home for dinner. See you Bianca, Hazel, Nico," he said with a nod at each. "Goodnight Percy," he added with a smile, slipping out the backdoor. Nico got up and staggered into his bedroom, collapsing onto the bed with Percy. Then he straightened the brunette out and tucked him in, sticking Hazel's bear in the crook of his arm. His arm instinctively wrapped tighter around the bear, and Nico smiled. He sat down at his desk to begin the homework he'd put off doing until now.

"Hey Nico?" Nico turned around and found Hazel creeping into his room. He sighed. He knew one of his sisters was bound to ask him about his story. And while he didn't want to really talk about it, he couldn't very well not give them an explanation now. "About your story?"

"Yes?" he asked, swiveling around to face her. She perched on the edge of the bed and looked over her shoulder at the sleeping brunette. Her bear was just visible under the covers, and she smiled. "Hazel, it was almost two years ago. I feel a lot better now."

"It's not that," she said with a shake of her head, her cinnamon toast hair flying about in the process. "Why did you tell Percy and not us?" She couldn't keep the accusation out of her voice. Nico sighed again.

"Because you guys knew the story a little better than he did," he replied. "You guys knew I wasn't happy; he didn't. I can pick and choose who I tell you know." From the bed, Percy mumbled and rolled to face the wall. "See? He agrees with me." Hazel's hard look softened as she looked at Percy. No matter how mad one was, they couldn't help but smile when they saw Percy's curled up figure. "It's more than that, Hazel," he said at last. "I was trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side and studying him. She was trying to detect a lie, but she saw nothing but honesty from her brother.

"Yes, protect you," he replied. "I'm the older brother. That's my job. I just thought…I thought the less you knew, the better off you'd be. I'm supposed to be the role model. Some role model I am. I was so worried I'd let you down Hazel. I didn't want you to know the reason I sunk so low for that reason. I wanted to continue and try to be the good older brother. The role model. The one that wouldn't disappoint you."

"You'll never disappoint me, big brother," she said softly. "Look how much stronger you are now? You've come a long way in two years." Nico absently ran his thumb over his scars. They would never go away, and that was a good thing. It would be a constant reminder to not let it get that bad again. He had something to look forward to. And he had more people counting on him. He looked at Percy, cuddled up to the wall, curled around Hazel's bear like he was shielding it. "I may not like the choices you made Nico, but I still love you. That will never change." Nico rose and walked over to his sister, wrapping her in a hug. Tears streamed down his cheeks. For two years, he'd avoiding talking to her about it.

"Thank you," he said, pulling back. "Thank you for never giving up on me. I know I haven't made things easy for you guys, but I couldn't ask for a better family. I love you too, baby sis." She smiled up at him, and his heart swelled with pride. That was his baby sister. "Now, I have homework to do," he said, tilting his head toward the desk. Hazel giggled.

"Same old Nico," she said, and he grinned. She skipped out of his room. Shaking his head, he sank back down in his chair and hunched over his books, scribbling half-heartedly. He wasn't really in the mood for homework right now.

"That was incredibly sweet." Nico looked back over his shoulder as Percy wrapped his arms around him and rested his chin on the top of his head. "You and your sisters have a good relationship with each other," he continued. "Can I tell you something?" He felt the dark-haired boy nod. "I don't think any less of you because of what you did." Now Nico pulled away and looked at him.

"You don't?" he asked. "Most people would flee if they found that out. No one wants an unstable person for a boyfriend. Or a friend," he added bitterly. He'd lost some good friends after his suicide attempt.

"No, I don't," the brunette replied. "Want to know why? Because it means you have a family that really loves you and the willpower to overcome something as awful as that. If you can get out of a hole that big, I can face my parents. You're an inspiration Nico, whether you want to be or not." Nico smiled faintly. "Hazel's right. You have come a long way." Now Nico's face fell. He got up and closed the door.

"There are days I wish I could do it again," he admitted. "The cutting, not the suicide attempt. But I told myself, actually, I promised myself, that I would never cut again, no matter how bad things got. I've stuck to it for two years, and I don't plan on breaking it now. Like I said, I have you to help me." His smile returned as he wrapped his arms around Percy's waist and pulled him close. He softly kissed him, feeling Percy instantly relax in his embrace. Kissing was instinctive now, and the brunette wasn't hesitate like he'd been when they first started.

"Nico," he said when the dark-haired boy pulled away. Nico looked at him. "I want to confront my parents tomorrow. And I want you to be there. Like it or not, you're part of my life now, and they need to see that." Nico's grip on him tightened.

"Of course I'll come," he said. "Remember, you're not alone."

…

I hope that makes up for the cliffy, angsty ending from the last chapter. Sweet bonding moments between the five, a nice talk with Hazel, and some eye-opening talk about personal demons. Well rounded chapter I'd say.


	11. Chapter 11-Stranger In His Own Home

Hey guys! Time for a very tense discussion between Percy, Paul, and Sally. But first, a check in on school.

Also, I'm sorry for the big lapse in production. I've given myself six weeks to read twelve books, and I powered through three in the first week. So I decided I could be a little lax right now.

…

Percy couldn't concentrate during school, which was saying something. He had every opportunity to tell Annabeth about himself, but every time he got close enough to say something, he froze. He couldn't do it. So by seventh period, he was a nervous wreck. He wanted to tell someone from youth group, and Annabeth was the most understanding. He just couldn't bring himself to do so. He was hardly comfortable with himself. How could he trust someone else with his most closely guarding secret? He couldn't. Not yet anyway.

Study Hall was an absolute nightmare. He sat beside Annabeth in that class, and just the fact she was near was enough to make him want to blab. But every time he went to tug on her jacket, he dropped his hand. After a few times of this, Annabeth began to take notice. But she didn't say anything to the nervous boy. She knew, in time, that her friend would tell her what was bothering him. And something was clearly bothering him. She had Algebra with him, and he would constantly shoot glances at the new boy, Nico di Angelo, who would look back as calmly as he could.

By the time the bell rang, Percy was wound so tight, he made clocks look loose. He sprang up from his seat and bolted to his locker. But once he got there, he paused. He didn't want to go home. Not yet. Then he felt Nico's arms around him. He looked up, and Nico moved off, winking. In spite of himself, he smiled. He felt better with Nico near. He grabbed his backpack, then made his way over to Nico's locker.

"Nico, I'm so scared," he hissed. The dark-haired boy immediately turned to him. "I don't want to go home," he said. "I want to go back to your house. Can we skip the talk?" Nico stared at him.

"I suppose," he said at last. "But you'll never get closure if you keep putting it off." Percy sighed. And that was the root of his problem. He could keep shying away from his parents, but eventually, he'd have to face them. And if it was sooner rather than later, he'd still have a shred of courage. "It won't be that bad," Nico said at last, steering the brunette out of the building. Jason began trailing them, and Percy peered over his shoulder. "Jason has graciously decided to come for moral support as well," Nico added. "We both felt it would be comforting to have your best friend with you as well." From behind them, Jason nodded.

"I guess," Percy said uneasily. "We don't have to out him too, do we?" Jason looked horrified at the prospect, but when Nico shook his head, he relaxed. He's support Percy, but he dreaded coming out to the brunette's family. Paul was known to have a low tolerance for gays. Percy turned his focus back in front of him, ignoring the blonde for the time being. He was grateful he already had such a great support staff, and Nico had even helped him make an account on The Gay Christian Network so he could converse with the people who actually liked him. He was fairly surprised to find a lot of adults were on that site, and that they were all warm and welcoming.

"We're here Perce," Nico said softly, and Percy looked anxiously at his house. He saw his mom's car, but not Paul's. At that, he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to have to face his stepdad yet. Nico squeezed his upper arm, and when the brunette glanced at him, he smiled tentatively. "It'll be fine," he said, obviously not picking up on the brunette's relief. But that relief was short lived. That meant Paul would come home to find Percy in his house. And Percy wasn't sure he wanted that. But Nico gently shoved him up the walkway before he could back down. So, swallowing hard, Percy crept up the front steps of his house. He slipped inside quietly, waiting while Nico and Jason filed in after him.

"Percy." The brunette nearly leapt through the ceiling when he heard his mother speak. He knew she harbored no ill feelings towards him, but that didn't make him any less wary. Behind him, Nico squeezed his arm. "Hello Nico, hello Jason," Sally greeted. She was sitting on the couch, waiting expectantly for her son to return. She knew he would eventually. And she missed him. It had been unusually quiet without Percy around. For fifteen years, she'd heard him creeping down the hall, talking on the phone with friends, or muttering to himself as did his school work. Without him around that weekend, it felt strangely empty.

"Hello Mrs. Blofis," Jason greeted, the only one to do so. Percy had moved slightly behind the blonde, but still in front of Nico. Jason looked over his shoulder and notice the slight tremble. He sighed. It was a cold day in hell when a boy was scared to talk to his mother. Especially since Percy was an only child. The blonde knew the brunette and his mother were close, and not being able to talk to her son must have been devastating for her. Nonetheless, she continued to watch the trio, noticing the way Jason seemed to slip unconsciously in front of her son. She didn't miss much, and that included the way Nico held Percy's arm. Or the way he wrapped one arm around her son's waist, reassuring him everything was going to be alright.

"Well," Sally said at last, clasping her hands together. "Why don't you boys take a seat?" Even at the offer, none of the boys moved. She sighed. She hated seeing Percy scared in his own home, a place he was supposed to feel safe and secure. Finally, Nico mumbled something in his ear, and the trio moved to sit down. Percy and Nico sat on one end of the couch, and Jason perched on the arm in a fashion only he did. He brought one knee up and rested his chin on it, swinging the other leg at the side. Sally watched her son and his two friends, once again feeling sad. "Would anyone like something to drink?" she asked at last, more to get the boys talking than anything else.

"Milk," Jason said without missing a beat. Once again, it seemed he was the one ready to take control of the situation. He leaned down and elbowed Percy, who jerked up, blinking. Nico repeated the question to him, and after a few moments, he nodded slowly.

"Water," he said to his mom.

"Water for me too," Nico said, wrapping an arm around the brunette's waist again. Sally moved off to get the drinks, and as she left, Percy leaned against Nico and closed his eyes, fighting the tears threatening to spill. He felt like a stranger in his own home. Jason slipped off the arm of the couch and squished in beside the brunette, wrapping his arms around him. Nico did likewise on the opposite side, and soon they had the brunette sandwiched, surrounded by love and support. Percy smiled through the tears. He was forever grateful for his friends.

None of this went unnoticed by Sally, who'd kept one eye on the living room even as she left to get the drinks. She removed the milk cartoon, then nearly dropped it again when she witnessed the double-sided hug. She felt tears in her eyes, though these were more from happiness. Percy already had a great support system around him. She turned away, dashing a hand under her eyes. No point in letting the boys see her get emotional. They were really going to be put through a lot when Paul got home. She poured Jason his glass of milk, then grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge. She went back to the living room, handing out the drinks. Jason took his and sipped appreciatively. He loved milk. Percy just held his water bottle in one hand, staring dumbly down at it. Nico set his on the coffee table in front of them, then wrestled Percy's away from him. Ignoring his mother, he twisted the cap off and held it to the brunette's lips. Percy took a few tentative sips. Satisfied, Nico set it aside.

"It's so good to see you again, Mrs. Blofis," Jason said, kicking his feet up comfortably. _Some things never changed_, Sally thought wryly. "It's been awhile," Jason continued, shooting a look at Percy.

"Yeah," Percy forced out, but it sounded more like a squeak than an actual word. Jason sighed. He wanted Percy to relax a little. He would be wound up enough as it was when Paul came home. He didn't need to act like this around his mother. No matter what Sally believed, she would love Percy first and foremost. There was no reason for him to be so nervous around her.

"So," Nico chimed in, just for the sake of doing something. Percy turned an eye on him, but he said nothing. Apparently, he'd said all that needed to be said for the moment. "How long have you and Paul been married?" Nico asked. Sally smiled softly. Nico was trying to distract her son.

"Ten years," she replied with another smile. "Paul has always been a good father to Percy. His real father walked out before he was born, you know." Nico shook his head.

"I did not," he said. "All I did know was Percy said Paul was his stepfather. Has it been happy?" Another smile from Sally, and this time, a small smile from Percy as well. He was obviously remembering all the good things he and Paul had done over those ten years. There were trips to the city for baseball and football games. Teaching him to ride his bike, both with and without training wheels. Walks to the park and the ice cream shop on Main. And of course there was church. Percy genuinely enjoyed church, when he wasn't the one being yelled at.

"It's been happy," Percy said softly, surprising everyone. "I love Paul; he's the father I never had when I was born. I don't want to lose my family because of who I am." Nico's grip on the brunette tightened. He'd noticed the smile on Percy's face as he asked if it had been happy, and now he realized the real reason for the hesitation. He was scared he was going to lose his family. The only family he'd ever known. He didn't even have his real dad to turn to. If his mom and stepdad set him packing, that was it. Percy would have nowhere to go.

"He'll love you no matter what," Nico assured. "After all, one of the things Christian's treasure is family, right?" Percy nodded slowly. Family was very important to Christians. "He'll come around. It'll just take some time." Percy sighed. And what happened if word got out before then? He'd be shunned by the community. He'd be rejected from any clubs or activities at school. There was a reason Jason went to great lengths to keep himself closeted, and they weren't for his own amusement. Maybe Percy would have to flirt, just like Jason, in order to keep up the appearance of normality. But Jason hated flirting. One time Percy caught traces of tears in his eyes. He didn't want that. Not for Jason, and not for himself.

Percy was pulled from his thoughts by a car door, and his palms began sweating. He wiped them on his jeans, but to no avail. Instinctively, he pressed himself closer to Nico, who began murmuring in his ear soothingly. He wasn't even saying actual words. Just knowing he was near was enough. Four pairs of eyes slowly watched the front door as it swung open. It seemed like decades before Paul finally stepped inside, shuffling the mail as he came. He didn't take notice of the trio of boys crammed onto the couch at first, but slowly he became aware of people that weren't his wife. He turned to look at his stepson, and just for a second, his gaze softened. Then his gaze lit on Nico, and hardened again.

"You," he said simply, jabbing a finger at the dark-haired boy. Nico simply held his chin high. Paul wasn't going to scare him off. Not when Percy needed him. "Hello Jason," Paul continued without one glance at the blonde. Jason shrugged. The less he was included in this, the better. "Percy, it's good to see you," Paul said, and instantly Percy was on guard. It was never good when you heard that. "Please tell that boy to leave," Paul added.

"No dad," Percy said stubbornly. "I'm going to talk, and you're going to listen. Whatever you may think of me, get it out of your head right now. I'm not some confused straight boy. I've never been confused. Well," he amended. "I was confused, but not for too long. I'm gay, dad, whether you like it or not." He paused, catching his breath. "And Nico… Well, Nico's going to be around, again, whether you like it or not. Because I like Nico. He makes me feel special. He makes me feel wanted. Something you haven't done the last few days." Paul turned away, feeling conflicted. Everything about this situation was wrong. Being gay was an abomination. And yet, that was his stepson. The boy he loved like he was his own son. Could he really call his son an abomination?

"I don't know Percy," Paul said at last, sounding strangely subdued. This was a far cry from the furious, shaking figure from Friday. This figure was broken and torn. Torn between loyalties; to his son and to his religion. His religion taught him gays were an abomination, and that was what he believed. What the bible didn't teach was what to do if your son told you he was gay. "What I do know is I can't look at either one of you right now," he added. Percy felt the tears welling.

"Dad?" he asked in that small voice he got when he was scared. "Mommy?" He turned to Sally, whose gaze was flicking back and forth between her son and her husband. She couldn't very well kick Percy out again. She feared that if she did, he would never come back.

"Paul, please, be reasonable," she pleaded. "Are you going to kick our son out because of who he likes? He can't help it." Paul turned a withering gaze on her, but it lacked his usual force.

"No, I will certainly not," he decided. "This is his house, just as much as it is ours. He is free to sleep here, to eat here, and do homework here. But I do not want to see that boy around this house." He pointed a finger at Nico. "Or I will call the cops and have him arrested for trespassing on private property. Jason." At that, he paused. He could very well send away the boy his son kissed, but sending away his son's best friend would be a different story. Percy would be crushed if he was told he could see neither while he was here. "Jason, you can stay," he said at last. Then, whirling around, he marched down the hall to his bedroom, slamming the door shut. The three boys didn't dare move, but Percy cast anguished glances at Nico. He couldn't see him while he was home? Why didn't Paul just ground him until he died? That would've been a better punishment than this. Finally, Nico rose.

"I better go before the cops show up," he said with the barest trace of a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Percy nodded, feeling tears sliding down his cheeks. He didn't want Nico to leave. "Hey, it'll be okay," Nico said, brushing his fingers under Percy's eyes. "You're back in your home. That's better than nothing." He looked at Jason. "Take care of our boy." Jason nodded solemnly.

"I will," he vowed. Nico left, slipping silently out the front door. Jason wrapped his arms around Percy, letting the brunette sob into his shirt. Sally, meanwhile, went to the window and watched Nico leave. It tore her heart to see those boys so upset.

…

"No Percy?" Hazel asked when Nico returned. He swung his bag onto the stairs. He shook his head, glancing at the brunette's house longingly. He almost preferred it if Percy still stayed with him. Then he could cuddle him and hold him while his nightmares passed. Not to mention they didn't have to message between the windows. They could talk face to face.

"No, he's back home," Nico said, heading up to his room. Hazel trailed him, looking like the curious twelve-year-old she could be. "Paul said he was welcome back. After all, it is Percy's house too. But I'm banished. If I even so much as step on their grass, Paul will call the cops and have me arrested." Hazel gave a little gasp. Nico flopped onto his bed, scrubbing at his face. He stretched his arms above his head, and his hand hit something fuzzy. He grabbed it and held it out above himself. It was Hazel's bear. "Here," he said, holding it out to her. She took it, stroking the fuzz.

"Did he help Percy?" she asked. Nico looked at her, took in her innocent appearance, and chuckled. In truth, the bear had helped. It provided a good distraction at night. Sometimes, Percy would cuddle with the bear. Other times, he'd sing to it like it was a baby, rocking it gently. Nico never commented on the almost child-like behavior. He'd be losing his marbles too if his parents kicked him out of the house.

"He helped a lot," Nico replied, staring at the ceiling. "Percy always felt better with your bear." Hazel smiled. She was pleased to hear that. Percy was so sad when he first came to their house. She hated seeing him sad, even more when it made her big brother sad. She'd never seen Nico so sad. Or furious. "I'm sure he'll miss your bear with the lonely nights he's going to be having." Hazel looked down at her bear, then thrust it toward Nico. The dark-haired boy sat up and took the bear, looking at her quizzically. "Don't you want your bear back?" he asked. She nodded.

"I want him," she said, slowly and deliberately. "But Percy needs him. Do you think you could find a way to get it to him? I want him to have it, so he knows he's not alone." Nico smiled softly at his little sister. Already so grown up for her age.

"I think I have just the way," Nico said, pulling out his phone.

…

Percy laughed when Jason presented him with the bear. The blonde had disappeared for a few minutes, returning with the bear in tow. He took the stuffed animal he'd been sleeping with for the past three nights. He hugged it to his chest.

"Why did Hazel want me to have it?" he asked the blonde. At that, Jason grinned.

"She said she wanted it," he said. "But she said you needed it. She wanted you to have it so you knew, no matter what, you were never alone." Percy got a little misty-eyed at that. Did he mention he was so grateful for his friends?

…

Well now, does that make up for the long lull? I really hope so.


	12. Chapter 12-Not a Superhero

Well now, I see everyone is excited that The Good Christian Boy came back, yes? I know, I know. I can be horrible at updating.

Fun Fact: My name on here, LIFE the RANGER, derives from my love of Ranger's Apprentice (another favorite book series of mine). When I first began writing, it was for that fandom. I still write for it sometimes.

…

Jason and Nico walked to school together the next day, feeling sorry for Percy. The brunette informed them both that his stepdad would be driving him to school from now on, as extra assurance he didn't see Nico hanging around the house. Jason glanced at Nico, but he didn't see a trace of emotion there. This kid was a little unnerving sometimes, he decided. But yet, there had to be a reason for that emotionless expression. Maybe it was years of hurt and torment making him act that way?

"Does it still hurt?" Jason blurted, and Nico flicked his gaze to him briefly. Before the outburst, he'd been watching as the cracks in the sidewalk came and went. "Does it still hurt?" Jason repeated, more sure of himself now. This time, Nico actually turned his head so he could look at the blonde.

"Does what still hurt?" Nico asked in a neutral voice. He had a pretty good inkling on what it was, but he wanted to see Jason squirm a little. He might've only known him a week, but still, he knew Jason squirmed easily given the right circumstances. They walked in awkward silence for a few steps. Nico coughed lightly, and Jason jumped. The dark-haired boy rolled his eyes, but he smiled nonetheless. Finally, he took pity on his blonde friend. "Yes, it still hurts," he said. "It hurts every day. But you learn to deal with it. Besides, Percy doesn't need unstable people in his life right now." Jason glanced sideways at Nico.

"But you can't be strong all the time," he countered. "After all, you're only human. And aren't there some days that it's all too much?" At that, Nico paused. In truth, there were days that felt like it was all too much. But he wouldn't tell Jason that and he certainly wouldn't let Percy know that. His little brunette was dealing with enough as it was. "You're not a superhero Nico, no matter how much you might want to be one. Admitting weakness is a great strength."

"I always tell you that you have a good thinker on those shoulders of yours," Nico mumbled, and Jason shrugged easily. He'd been told that a handful of times.

"I'm smart when it matters," he replied. "Besides, I think that Percy would be overjoyed at the prospect of taking care of you for a change. All this attention has him ruffled. He's not used to it all. He normally just slips by without people looking at him, but now, he's got unwanted attention." Nico sighed. That was the problem, wasn't it? This whole thing would be a lot better if Percy didn't have so much attention. If he'd been able to slip by unnoticed, his realization and acceptance of himself would've flowed smoothly and easily, like it should've done in the first place.

"I suppose the next time I feel overwhelmed, I will let him know," Nico said at last. "After all, you're right. We're only human. And every human as up days and down days. It's those down days I want to avoid." At that, Jason nodded.

"I know just what you mean," he said, once again running his thumb over his scars. Nico glanced down, took note of the action, and continued on without saying anything. But he felt troubled by that. Jason turned to a different way of relieving the pain. And there wasn't a whole lot to do in a small town like this. It would be so easy for Nico to slip back into his old habit. That's what scared him the most about this. He didn't want to revert back to his old method of stress relief. It had nearly cost him his life, and his family nearly lost him. He couldn't put them through that again. "School," Jason hissed, and Nico huffed out an annoyed breath. He officially hated this place. It's like it knew what he was thinking.

"Computer lab," Nico replied instead, and the blonde nodded. They made their way down there, sitting in their usual spots, leaving a seat open for Percy to sit between them. Jason turned his computer on and began working with his project, which consisted of a lot of mini explosions. It was fascinating to watch.

"Look, it's Jason." Nico turned his attention to the twin girls coming into the computer lab. They giggled when Jason looked up and smiled at them. He beckoned them over, and they came, still giggling. He gave them another smile and began talking idly with them. Nico observed the blonde carefully. There was none of the usual fear today. Jason was as cool and confident as he put out, and Nico smiled. Jason caught his gaze over the top of one of the twins, and he nodded. He sensed it too. At one point, one of the twins reached out and laid a hand on his chest. Jason merely smiled at her once more, though with that Nico noticed the underlying disgust.

"Alright ladies," Nico said at last, successfully capturing their attention. "I think that's enough now. Jason has plenty of work to do." The girls mumbled agreements and retreated, and Jason shot Nico a relieved look. He slumped over his laptop, typing away with less enthusiasm than before. Nico started his own laptop and stared at the screen, drumming his fingers on the tabletop. He was anxious, to say the least. The bell would ring in about five minutes, yet Percy was nowhere to be seen.

"Percy's probably upstairs," Jason whispered, sensing what Nico was thinking. "For Morning Prayer. He'll be here as the bell rings, don't worry." Nico glanced sideways at the blonde. He really hoped his friend was right. He was worried about his brunette sort-of-boyfriend (he wasn't sure what Percy was to him at this point in time). He shut the lid of his laptop a little too forcefully, and Jason jumped.

"Sorry," Nico mumbled, rolling his chair back and staring at his hands. He didn't want Percy where he couldn't see him. He wanted him where he could keep an eye on him. Make sure he was alright.

"I get your worried," Jason said irritably. Nico's now dark mood was affecting him as well. "But Percy can take care of himself. He's not helpless."

"I know that!" Nico snapped, bristling. How dare this boy talk to him like that? "What if it were Luke?" he hissed. "Wouldn't you be worried too?"

"You leave him out of this!" Jason snapped. They both started when someone cleared their throat behind them. They turned guiltily toward the person, sure they were caught. They weren't sure what to feel when they saw Percy. Nico felt a little bit relieved. But Jason knew seeing them fighting wasn't good for him. He hated it when his parents fought when he first outed himself to them. It made it seem like every argument was his fault. "Percy…" he began.

"Will you two please stop fighting?" the brunette asked mildly. "I could hear you from the front door. You guys got steadily louder without realizing it. I don't know what this is about, but you both need to KNOCK IT OFF!" He thrust himself between them, glaring daggers. Jason dropped his gaze, ashamed of himself. He rarely fought with his classmates, especially about another classmate. His school was a peaceful one. There was no need. Nico, on the other hand, looked amused.

"I've never seen you mad before," he said. Both the blonde and the brunette turned to look at him. They'd been busy having a silent conversation with each other. Now, Nico had their attention. "I've seen you happy, excited, and borderline depressed. But never mad. You're just not one to get mad." He chuckled, then leaned close to whisper in Percy's ear; "It's kinda hot." The brunette sat down in his seat, a little stunned.

"What did you tell him?" Jason asked, their earlier feud forgotten now that the subject was sitting peacefully between them. Percy looked from one boy to the other.

"I just told him he looks hot when he's mad," Nico replied nonchalantly. "And maybe he should get mad more. We could fight again." Jason cracked a tiny smile.

"I won't argue with you on that one," he said, then seemed to realize what he'd just said. "Or maybe I will." He laughed, and Nico caught on half a second before Percy did. Soon, both the dark-haired boy and the blonde were laughing, while the brunette glared at them.

"I call unfair double team," he told them, narrowing his eyes. And that, of course, just made them laugh harder.

…

"It's nice to have someone over," Nico said to Jason, who swung his backpack up onto the desk. Jason sat down in the chair and kicked his legs up, leaning back comfortably. "Now that Percy is more or less grounded, I was worried I wouldn't have anyone to talk to." Jason eyed him. He noticed the way Nico was rigid, almost like…

"Is this the day it's too much?" he asked softly. "Because if it is, you need something healthy to take out the frustrations." Now Nico really did look frustrated. "Don't look at me like that. Like I said this morning Nico, you're no superhero. You have emotions just like the rest of us, and it's not healthy to keep them bottled up."

"What am I supposed to do?!" he exploded. "If I admit weakness, I'll just scare my family again. And Percy. God, especially Percy. He'd be afraid of losing me." But Jason was shaking his head.

"He has faith in you," he replied, taking his feet off the desk and sitting up straight. "He knows you won't do what you did again, because you said you wouldn't. That means a lot in his book." Nico sighed and threw himself onto his bed, scrubbing at his eyes. It had already been a long day.

"He's got more faith in me than I have in myself, then," he responded at last. "Because even I don't by the bullshit I dish out. It's so hard. Every day, seeing him is a constant reminder of what I've done, both past and present. We shouldn't have come here. He would've been the good Christian boy still if I'd never come into the picture."

"And he wouldn't be happy," Jason pointed out. "Let's face it Nico, he was miserable before you got here. Maybe not outwardly, but he was. Having you here was the best thing that ever happened to him." Nico stared at the blonde. He was serious. But he couldn't be. Nico had done nothing but make Percy's life miserable ever since he'd come here. First, by insisting he was gay when he wasn't ready to admit it. Then getting him caught by his over-religious stepdad. And finally by fighting with his best friend. If you went by that, Nico was perhaps the worst person in the world to him.

"I don't know about that," he mumbled, glancing away. He'd forgotten to hang his posters up, but he didn't have the energy to move. Instead, he stared at the name hanging above his bed. Dustin. One of the only good things about living in the city. He'd been surprised Percy hadn't spotted the name when he'd lived with them briefly. But then again, Percy had had a lot on his mind at the time. The paper was yellowing around the edges, and the tape was coming unpeeled, but Nico didn't have the heart to take it down or re-tape it. His old best friend had made it for him, shortly before he'd moved away when they were in seventh grade. It was all in nice, puffy bubble letters, with red and blue candy cane stripes colored in the center. Red and blue had been Dustin's favorite colors…

"Who's Dustin?" Jason asked, sliding in beside Nico. He laced his fingers behind his head and spread himself out comfortably, nudging Nico with his foot as he did so. Nico grimaced, with was as close to a smile as he could manage today. He reached up and pretended to trace the letters on the paper.

"Dustin was my best friend, back before he moved away," Nico replied softly. "We were inseparable. I loved having that boy around. It made it almost worthwhile. He moved when we were in seventh grade. You have no idea what that did to me." He once again traced the outline of the letters. "My best, and perhaps only at the time, friend was moving away, leaving me behind."

"Seventh grade…" Jason mused quietly to himself. "That was when you tried to off yourself, wasn't it? That can't be a coincidence. I don't believe in coincidences. So you were really upset by this, weren't you?" Nico pointedly looked away. Now this conversation was treading into dangerous waters. The complete story was nowhere near what he made it seem to be. He let his family believe it was because he didn't have many friends, or he felt like he didn't fit in. The truth was much, much worse.

"More than I care to admit," he said at last. "Let's just say Dustin moving away had me shaken." Jason nodded. He knew when someone wasn't ready to talk. Not the whole story anyway. He was honored that Nico trusted him enough to tell him about his once best friend. And he was content with that information. "God, some days I miss him so much," Nico said.

"And other days?" Jason inquired. He was just making idle chit chat now. He'd found something else to occupy his attention span. "What do you do on the days you don't miss Dustin?" he asked.

"I love Percy," Nico said simply. Jason stopped fashioning an airplane out of construction paper and looked at him. "That's the dead truth. I either miss Dustin or I love Percy. There's no in between with me. You should know that by now." He smiled to show he was kidding. "But loving Percy outweighs missing Dustin these days."

"That's good, then," Jason said, going back to his plane. He took the marker from Nico's nightstand and began to draw flames on it, as well as some smiley faces. Nico watched him work, a smile tugging at his lips. He did enjoy watching Jason work. Jason had childish enthusiasm, something of which Nico appreciated. He still had a relatively simple life, unlike Nico. If the dark-haired boy had been doing what the blonde was doing, his family would think he'd lost his marbles. Ever since the incident, he'd maintained that solemn air about him. Jason studied his paper plane, frowning thoughtfully.

"It needs stickers," he decided, rifling through Nico's drawer. He pulled out Disney Princess stickers, studying them and Nico in turn. Nico blushed. "You know, I won't ask," Jason said, adding a couple princesses to the wings. He held up his paper masterpiece with a flourish. "And now it's done," he said. He shoved some paper at Nico. "Now you make one."

"Um, no," Nico said with a laugh. "I'm good." Jason frowned at him, then launched his plane into the air, it went up, looped once, then crashed down onto the desk. The blonde frowned at it, and the dark-haired boy laughed. It felt immensely good to watch someone clown around after the weekend he'd had. It was only Tuesday, he thought wearily. He had three more days until the weekend. Jason propped himself onto his elbow, studying the dark-haired boy. He appeared to be nodding off, judging from the way his eyes would close then snap back open.

"Are you tired?" he asked gently. "I could leave if you want some privacy." Nico propped himself up onto his elbow too, smiling sleepily.

"No, if I nap, I'll be up all night," he said. "Just stay and keep me company, will you?" Jason smiled broadly. He would've complied if Nico had told him to leave, but he wouldn't have liked it much. I enjoyed spending time with this dark-haired kid. He was funny, in his own twisted way. And kind and polite. He was like a slightly darker Percy (in mood and appearance). Percy was so white, white people made comments on it. Jason chuckled. Though Percy tanned in the summer/fall season, so that helped immensely. "Whatcha thinking about?" Nico asked curiously.

"You're favorite topic," the blonde retorted playfully. "A certain brunette beauty that has captured your eye." Nico grinned at him, now all traces of sleepiness gone.

"So, Percy," he replied. "That is definitely my favorite topic." Jason chuckled. He'd known that, of course. What boy wouldn't like to talk about their crush? And Nico needed something to keep his mind of his troubles. "Hey," Nico said suddenly, reaching out and touching Jason's arm. "I never did thank you for coming over today. You're a great friend." Jason shrugged, a little embarrassed.

"Ah, well, it's no problem," he said awkwardly. "Paul may have given me permission to stay at Percy's house, but I don't think he necessarily likes me being there. And coming to an environment that's warm and welcoming is a nice change from what I'm used to." Nico tilted his head thoughtfully to the side.

"Why's that?" he asked. "Aren't your parents accepting?" Jason thought that one over for a moment. Some days, yes. Some days, it felt to him like he was invisible. "You don't have to tell me," the dark-haired boy said quickly. "Not if you don't want to."

"And now who's being a good friend," Jason joked, reached out and playfully punching Nico's shoulder. The dark-haired boy laughed, and Jason smiled. He liked making Nico laugh. It was much better than the pouty expression he got if he was left to his own thoughts too long. "I'm glad I cam over here," he added softly. "Percy's was really the only place I'd ever got after school, other than my own house."

"Really?" Nico asked, though as soon as he asked he knew it was true. Jason didn't seem like the kind to get out much, simply because he would constantly have to look over his shoulder if he did so. "You know what we should do," he suggested hesitantly. He wasn't sure Jason would agree. But the eager expression on his friend's face urged him to continue. "We should go to the movies together tomorrow. After I get back from youth group." Jason seemed to ponder that for awhile. Then he smiled.

"I'd like that," he said. "We should invite Percy too." But the dark-haired boy shook his head. If Paul wouldn't even let Percy walk to school by himself, there was no way he'd let him go to the movies.

"Paul probably wouldn't let him, even if you were the one to ask," he said. "Besides, it would be a fun 'date.'" He put air quotes around the word date. "Just the two of us. Whaddya say?" Jason laughed.

"You bet di Angelo," he said, reaching out and gently touching Nico's arm. _Jason sure is a touchy person_, Nico thought. And he was kind of cute, in that little brother way. "You okay?" Jason asked, leaning in closer to the dark-haired boy. Nico could smell Jason's shampoo now, and it smelled good. Like Old Spice. "You're looking at me kinda funny," he said, shifting uncomfortably. He had no idea what thoughts were running through the dark-haired boy's mind, but it didn't seem all that good. Nico blinked.

"I am?" he asked. "I had no idea." He quickly looked away, but in doing so he slipped off his hand. He fell back onto the bed, right next to Jason. The blonde peered down at him, a smirk playing on his lips. But the smirk died as his eyes widened and he leaned down, his face, and in particular his lips, just centimeters from Nico's.

…

Aaaaaaand, stopping point! Mwahahahaha you know you love me! You have to, or there won't be a new chapter any time soon.


	13. Chapter 13-Baby Steps

Yay to evil cliffhangers! You know you love them! I don't give you much of a choice on the matter, actually, so you have to love them.

…

Nico stared up, wide-eyed, at the blonde boy leaning over him. He noticed Jason's own wide eyes, so blue and earnest. This boy he'd become fast friend with was leaning over to kiss him! He lifted himself up slightly, so they were even closer. Jason stared down at him, seeking permission. Without actually thinking about it, Nico nodded. Jason slowly began to lower himself, closer, closer…

"Nico?" The blonde and the dark-haired boy sprang apart, staring at each other in silent horror. Had they really almost kissed? "Nico, are you boys alright in there? You're being awfully quiet." Nico swallowed hard.

"Yes mom," he called. "We're just…talking." He glanced at Jason, who shrugged. He had no idea what compelled him to almost kiss Nico. He was Percy's, dammit! And Jason had a boyfriend of his own! So why was kissing Nico sounding so appealing? "We'll be out shortly!" he called. He turned to Jason. "Jason…" he began.

"I'm sorry!" Jason blurted. "I have no idea why I did that! You just looked so damn cute laying there and I sort of just got this overwhelming urge…" He spread his hands helplessly. "I have no idea what came over me." Nico studied him with an odd expression. To say he didn't like Jason would be a lie. Because he did like Jason. Just not as much as Percy. "I…" Jason began, but then words failed him. What did he want? "God Nico, I still want to kiss you, dammit!" he said, slamming his fist against the dark-haired boy's pillow. Nico just continued to study him.

"Okay," he said softly. Jason turned to him, his eyes widening more than before.

"What?" he asked lamely. At that, Nico laughed softly.

"You're not deaf yet, boy," he said. "I said okay. If you want to kiss me, okay." Jason continued to study him. He wasn't sure if Nico was just toying with his emotions or not. "Please kiss me?" Nico tried. He wasn't above begging. "Please? I want to know how it will be." Jason leaned back over him, with one hand on either side of his body. Nico looked up and tilted his chin, their faces closer than before. Jason closed his eyes and shorted the gap until his lips met Nico's. They were surprisingly warm and soft. There was a brief moment where they both froze, but soon Jason laid a palm on Nico's face. Nico, in turn, twined his fingers in the blonde's hair. Jason pushed away. "What was that for?" Nico asked. "I was quite enjoying that."

"It's so wrong on so many levels," Jason pointed out. "After all, I'm taken and you have Percy, who lives next door and could find out about this somehow." Nico growled in frustration. Nothing was ever straight-forward for him! "It felt so right, though…" Jason mumbled. Nico flopped back onto his pillow and threw an arm over his eyes. "Aw, come on Neeks, don't make me pity you," the blonde scolded. Jason squinted. The sleeves of the dark-haired boy's long shirt had risen, exposing the faint, jagged scars. He reached out and ran a thumb over one. Nico shuddered, but he made no move to brush the blonde aside. "What drove you to this?" he asked, once again running his thumb over the scar. He figured if he could keep Nico distracted, the taunt moment of their kiss would pass.

"Social rejection," Nico replied automatically, still shielding his eyes. He didn't want to show Jason the tears. He'd spent so many years building the walls up, only to have them tumble down by someone who most decidedly wouldn't be his boyfriend. "Feeling like I didn't belong. Feeling like people were judging me behind my back, but being nice to my face. Not everyone was as nice as they made it seem." Jason sighed. Everyone was noticing Percy's hurt these days. Because Percy's hurt was new and fresh. And Percy, by nature, was a sensitive being. Nico, by contrast, almost seemed battle-hardened, harboring hurt no one could ever imagine. "Some days I wonder if it really has stopped because of the new community. This is whole new level of pain. Do you know how damn hard it is to hide who I am?"

"Yes," Jason said. "And do you know who else knows? Percy. He's going to have to do it too, but his family may not be as forgiving as ours. That's almost worse than what we've been through." Nico finally moved his arm, studying the blonde darkly with that unnerving gaze of his. Finally, he smiled. But it was a humorless smile that never reached his eyes.

"Nothing is worse than what I've been through," Nico said matter-of-factly. "I feel bad for Percy, I really do. But he didn't miss out on two years of his life. His best friend didn't move away and drive him over the edge. He didn't have to face the looks and the humiliation I did." Once it began, it all washed out, like the dark-haired boy was afraid someone would stop him if he didn't keep talking. "You have no idea how that feels."

"No, I don't," Jason agreed gently. He was afraid if he spoke too roughly, he'd break the dark-haired boy. "But I sort of know where you're coming from. Do you know how hard it is to go about your daily life believing you may be an abomination? That you were taught from an early age being gay is about the worst thing you can be, and it's permanently implanted in your brain that people won't love you because of who you are?" Nico grew quiet as Jason spoke. The blonde seemed to get madder with each question he fired. "Let me tell you Nico, it sucks ass. But you know what? You've gotta power through the pain. There's not a lot else you can do."

"I think you know the alternative," Nico said, motioning to the blonde's wrists. Jason ran his fingers absent-mindedly over his own scars, now white and slightly lowered. "Though that's the bad way," he added.

"That I know," Jason huffed. "Do you honestly think I'm proud to admit I cut? Because I'm not. I feel disgusted with myself. This isn't the sort of life to live, especially for people as young as us." Nico sat up and drew his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around his knees. Seemed Jason's demons went far beyond what he made them appear. "Everyone harbors fear and pain Nico," he said at last, also sitting up. He leaned against the wall and bowed his head, closing his eyes. "It's just a matter of how you deal with it." Nico put a comforting arm around the blonde's shoulders. Now that the initial shock of the kiss had passed, he realized how much they'd grow to depend on each other. They could tell each other just about anything, from their worst fears to their wildest fantasies. Speaking of…

"Tell me something Jason," Nico said, and when the blonde looked at him, he was shocked to see traces of tears in his eyes. "What's the best future you can imagine yourself? Can you tell me that?" The blonde swiped a hand under his eyes, smiling faintly.

"Being married to Luke," he said. "Being as far away from here as possible, but still keeping in contact with my family. Raising children. That's the best thing I can see for myself." Nico smiled softly at the blonde.

"That sounds lovely," he said. "And I'm sure Luke would agree with you." At that, the blonde nodded. "I think I would very much like to meet this mysterious Luke someday." Jason smiled thinly.

"I'd like that too," he said. "Say, what about you? You always talk about your past. What do you have in store for your future?" Nico closed his eyes and briefly pictured what his future would look like. It was happy. He and Percy had a house together as far away from this dumb town as possible. The house had their little children in it, with plenty in the big back yard for them to do. Percy was laying comfortably on the bed, not ashamed of who he was.

"Let's just say," Nico said, opening his eyes. "It's a hell of a lot brighter than my past." And Jason was content to leave it at that.

…

Percy couldn't imagine a future that didn't include his bedroom, his kitchen table, and his parents. Because that was the span he was allowed to travel these days. His stepdad wouldn't even let him go into the backyard and jump on the trampoline, which Percy always did when he was upset. He thought about calling Jason (because Paul hadn't taken his cell), but he decided against it. He'd witnessed the blonde making his way into Nico's house, and he didn't want to interrupt their bonding. He was no longer afraid of Jason trying to steal Nico from him, but he knew it was essential for both boys to have a trusted friend that they weren't afraid to break with one offhanded comment (they seemed to think Percy was made of glass these days).

He was currently sitting at his kitchen table, scribbling answers into his Italian II workbook. Without Nico to subtly give him answers, this was a lot harder than he imagined. He had a tray of blue chocolate-chip cookies in front of him, which he occasionally nibbled on. A glass of milk sat to the other side, untouched. His mom had greeted him with the snack when he'd arrived home that day. So Percy had to wonder what she was up to. She only made comfort foods when she had big or bad news. He closed his workbook, more or less satisfied with his answers, and took his tray of cookies and his glass of milk into the living room to watch TV. He'd found himself doing a lot of that over the last day, the result of too much time on his hands. He looked up curiously when his stepdad entered, but then went back to his TV show. It was called The Fosters. And he was addicted. He wanted a family like that.

"Percy, can you come here?" his mom called, and his stomach dropped to his feet. That didn't sound good. He paused his show and made his way into the kitchen, the glass of milk in one hand and a half-eaten cookie in the other hand. His mother smiled when he entered, and gestured to the table. "Please, sit," she said. Percy sat uneasily, his gaze darting from his mom to his stepdad. He wasn't sure what they had planned. Sally, in turn, studied her son. Or the boy who used to be her son. This boy was too fearful to be Percy. Too broken.

"What's this about?" the brunette asked, setting his cookie and milk aside. He didn't have an appetite anymore. His stomach was flipping through too many hoops to make eating safe.

"We've decided to let you have Nico over for a nice dinner," Sally said before Paul could speak. Percy's eyes widened and he looked at them skeptically. "We've passed judgment on this boy before we've really gotten to know him," Sally continued. "And we're willing to right that wrong. So I want you to invite him over after youth group tomorrow for dinner."

"Uh," Percy replied, unsure how to go about this. This was not expected, to say the least. He half expected a prank of some sort. His parents were pulling his leg or something. There was no way they would allow Nico into this house. "Since when was this established?" he asked instead.

"Since last night," Sally replied with a meaningful look at Paul. He grumbled an agreement, and it began to dawn on Percy. His mother had convinced his stepfather to let Nico come over, even if it was for a brief period of time. "If all goes well, who knows, maybe he would be welcome back," his mom added, elbowing Paul.

"What? Oh, yes, sure, he could come back," he agreed reluctantly. He wasn't sure how he felt about this dinner. But his wife insisted it would be good for them all to really get to know Nico before they began judging him. Plus, Sally wanted to see how happy this boy really made her son.

"There's more good news," Sally said with a hard look at Paul. But he, wisely, said nothing. It was clear who was really in charge of all these plans. Did Percy ever mention he had the best mom ever? "We've decided that, as long as you boys behave, he can come over, and stay over, for the night." Now the doubt gave way to excitement.

"Really?" Percy asked, his eyes lighting up. Nico could spend the night? On a school night? His mom must've felt this was too important to put off, because Percy wasn't even allowed to have friend over passed eight on school days, no matter how long said days may be. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he said, bolting from his chair and hugging her. "Can I go get him? Pretty, pretty please?" He clasped his hands together and gave her his irresistible puppy dog look. She laughed and waved him on, but he wasn't studying her anymore. He was seeking the okay from his stepdad. Paul seemed to sense it, and he looked up into Percy's pleading gaze. He nodded, motioning to the door. Percy sprinted across the lawns and pounded on the di Angelo's back door.

"Percy!" Nico came barreling out and tackled him into a hug, picking him up and twirling him around. "My god it's so good to see you!" he said breathlessly. "What are you doing here? Did you sneak out?" He glanced suspiciously at the brunette's house, but he laughed the comment away.

"No, my parents said you could stay the night!" he said excitedly, bouncing around. "Come on, come on!" Nico laughed. He was delighted to see some of the old spirit back in his beautiful brunette. "What's the hold up?" Percy asked.

"I need pajamas, clothes for tomorrow, school work, youth group work, and my toothbrush," Nico said, his eyebrow raised. "Or did you forget all that?" Percy smiled sheepishly. In his haste, he had. But now that Nico mentioned it, he realized he was right. Then Percy remembered something.

"Oh, bring something nice," he said, trailing the dark-haired boy into the house. "You're coming over for dinner tomorrow." Once again, Nico's eyebrows raised, but he did as he was told. In addition to other clothes, he packed his button down and tie. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and snatched up his small duffle bag. "Let's go!" Percy said, practically dragging Nico down the hall. The dark-haired boy laughed, and together they made their way across the lawn. Nico reached out and took Percy's hand in his, and the brunette smiled.

"Oh good, you're both here," Sally greeted as Nico and Percy came in the door. She was pleased to see the boys holding hands. And they didn't appear interested in letting go. "Now, we have some basic rules for this slumber party." Both boys turned to study her. They knew she'd be the one to come up with most of them, to appease Paul, who still didn't look happy by this turn of events. "Lights out by ten. And your door is to remain half open, Percy. No closing it all the way." Percy nodded. "We can't control the fact you speak to each other, but after ten thirty please keep it down to a whisper. That's when Paul and I will go to sleep. And Nico, you are to remain on the floor." At that, Nico nodded. He expected as much. "And have fun boys," she finished, smiling. She watched her son eagerly drag his friend down the hall to his room, all the earlier bitterness and fear gone.

Percy was pleasantly surprised to find extra blankets and pillows in his room already. Obviously, while he was gone, his mother had gotten things set up for him. Nico dropped his backpack and duffle bag by the door and began arranging his sleeping spot. Percy grabbed some pajamas and went across the hall to the bathroom to change and brush his teeth. When he came back, Nico took his spot. He glanced at the clock. Eight thirty. There wasn't much for them to do, so he sat on his bed and waited for Nico to return. Nico returned shortly thereafter, putting his old clothes and his toothbrush back in his duffle bag. He sat down next to Percy and took his hand in his.

"It's so good to see you," he repeated. "I've missed you like crazy." He kissed the brunette's forehead, and Percy giggled.

"You saw me at school," he reminded the dark-haired boy. Nico clutched his chest dramatically.

"That was five hours ago!" he exclaimed, and Percy giggled again. Already, his cheeks hurt from all the smiling he'd been doing. This was going to be quite the night.

…

"Are they asleep yet?" Nico whispered, and Percy could've gladly cuffed him. They were anxiously waiting until Percy's parents fell into deep sleep, and it was frustrating just waiting around with nothing to do. They were pressed against the wall, listening to the sounds of his parents as they got ready for bed.

"Not yet," the brunette whispered back. "But you'll alert them if you keep talking." Nico gave him a pained look and turned his attention back to the other room. But finally, finally, the voices died away and the soft snoring began. "Yes, they're asleep!" Percy hissed. He climbed into his bed, and Nico crawled in beside him. He'd already taken his shirt off, and Percy began running his hands over his hips, fingering the elastic of his boxers again. "Do you know how bad I've wanted to do this?" he asked hoarsely.

"I bet badly," Nico said with a low chuckle. "I've missed having you explore my body." But Percy wasn't paying attention anymore. He was busy sliding Nico's boxers down to get a better look at his hips. Nico looked at him quizzically, but he left him to his exploring. If he felt ready to do it, who was he to stop him? Percy ran his thumb over Nico's hips, leaving behind a warm, tingly feeling. Nico let out a low moan before he could stop himself, and Percy's eyes widened. "Sorry, sorry," Nico gritted out as Percy began exploring again, inching ever so closer to one little part of Nico no one had ever explored. He stopped, though, one hand frozen on the boxers. Then his hand began to tremble. Nico slowly peeled his hand away. "Don't overwhelm yourself," he whispered.

"I'm sorry," Percy apologized, ashamed at his behavior. He hadn't hesitated when his parents were away. Nico swiped a finger under his eyes.

"Hey, hey now, don't cry," he soothed, pulling the brunette closer and softly kissing him. "I think that's enough for tonight. Try to get some sleep, okay?" He began to slip out of the bed, but Percy grabbed his wrist. "What?" Nico asked.

"Can you stay up here, pretty please?" Percy asked, giving his famous sea-green puppy dog look. "Pretty please? It's lonely by myself." Nico glanced quickly at the door, but then he shrugged and let Percy snuggle up to him. The brunette laid his head on Nico's chest and waited patiently while the dark-haired boy tucked the covers around them. Then he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him.

Neither boy noticed the set of eyes watching them. Sally smiled to herself. Somehow, she'd known Nico would crawl into bed with her son. She just said the rule to make Paul happy. She never expected it to actually be obeyed. She watched as her son began exploring his friend's body, witnessing his sudden freeze. And then the gentle way of talking with Percy until he was asleep. Smiling to herself, she snuck back into her room. He plan was working. Her son was happy again. Now, she could breathe, and sleep, a little easier.

…

I bet you are all excited to see this. And a little surprised.


	14. Chapter 14-What's Triumph Without Trial?

I'm glad everyone enjoyed the surprise second update yesterday. I don't think anyone is as surprised as I was for that. But it did feel nice to have the updates in rapid session.

Yes, I love Ranger's Apprentice (still). And Brotherband. I really love Brotherband right now, though it's the Ranger's Apprentice series I'm re-reading. By the way, there is a fandom, it's just very, very tiny compared to the PJO one.

Warning" Contains spoilers from the second season of The Fosters. Consider yourselves warned.

…

Percy only woke up twice in the middle of the night, and the second time was to use the restroom. It seemed with Nico near, the nightmares didn't haunt him as much. Honestly, he'd forgotten the dark-haired boy was with him until he'd woken up shaking and Nico wrapped his arms around him and whispered in his ear until he was calm again. The second time, he merely looked at the brunette quizzically as he rose from his place on the bed, then went back to sleep when he realized he wasn't needed.

Now, it was six-thirty, and Percy was up for the day. He'd showered and changed, then sat his desk and watched TV on mute. Nico was still sleeping, and he didn't want to wake the dark-haired boy again. His gaze went from the TV to the sleeping form of his friend to the Niall smirking down at him. The ghost of a smile touched his features. He felt that Niall's gaze followed him wherever he happened to find himself, but the look on Paul's face when he'd first seen it had been priceless. Percy actually snapped a picture, then pretended to delete it. He smiled at the memory, turning his attention back to the TV. He'd taped another episode of The Fosters, where Jude and Connor went to the batting cages together. He felt bad for Connor. His dad was a major jerk. He didn't need to snap at Connor and then praise Jude. It wasn't fair for either of them. He was altogether way too hard on the taller of the two boys.

"Mmmm, Fosters," Nico said sleepily, capturing the brunette's attention. "Love that show," he continued around a huge yawn. "Morning Perce. How come you're up so early?" Percy merely shrugged. He wasn't fully sure himself. But it felt nice to be up as his mother was making coffee. He could go for a cup. As if Nico could guess what he was thinking, he sniffed the air experimentally. "Oooh, coffee," he said, throwing the covers back and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Let's go get a cup." He led the way to the kitchen. Both boys padded silently on the hardwood, all too aware they could wake Paul. The scene that greeted them in the kitchen, however, was far better than Percy's somewhat grumpy stepdad. The coffee has masked the smell of anything else cooking, but Sally already had blueberry pancakes and bacon made. She was currently scrambling eggs in a large bowl. When the boys entered, she looked up and smiled.

"Hello Percy, hello Nico," she said. "Please, do sit down and enjoy yourselves." Nico needed no further prompting. He sat down in one of the chairs at the table and began heaping pancakes onto his plate. Percy arched an eyebrow and looked at his mother. But she shrugged and grinned at him. "Nice, healthy appetite," she said. "Like most boys your age have." At that, he had to grin. He removed his mug from the cabinet above the sink and poured himself a cup of coffee. Then had added a splash of liquid creamer and a spoonful of sugar. He mixed it together and sat down at the table, wrapping his hands around the fragrant drink. "Would you like some coffee Nico?" Sally asked. Nico, his mouth full of blueberry pancake, could only nod as he attempted to swallow down the food. Sally set a mug in front of him, a green version of the blue one Percy favored.

"Thank you," Nico managed, swallowing the last of his food. Sally smiled, then turned to get the creamer and sugar for Nico as well. But the dark-haired boy didn't need it. He picked up his mug and took a long drink, sighing in appreciation. "Very good," he said, holding up his mug. "My mom doesn't make it nearly as strong as this. Hers tastes more like glorified water." Sally chuckled lowly. Someone who appreciated her taste in coffee. She was really beginning to like this boy. "Say Perce, you haven't touched your food," Nico said, nudging the plate at the brunette. "Come on and eat." Percy smiled hesitantly and sipped at his coffee instead. Sighing, Nico took the brunette's fork and speared a bite of pancake. He waved it temptingly in front of Percy, who smiled. He allowed himself to be fed a few bites of food, then he took the fork and began feeding himself. Nico smiled, satisfied with himself, and began to eat his own food again. Sally served both boys some eggs.

"Thanks mom," Percy said, looking up at her as she moved off. She smiled and leaned down and kissed his cheek. He blushed lightly and mumbled something under his breath. Nico chuckled, attacking his eggs. Percy took the time to study him. Nico had just come down the hall still in his pajamas, which consisted of a bright colored tank top and black pajama pants. His hair was still tousled from sleep, sticking up in the back in a way Percy found adorable. He caught the brunette's eye, and smiled at him. Percy smiled back, dropping his gaze to his plate. Nico rose and stretched.

"Well, that was lovely Mrs. Blofis," he said. "But I think it's time I get dressed." Sally chuckled as Nico sauntered off. He was certainly polite. She turned to Percy, who was busy finishing his pancakes. She was happy to see him eat. Monday night and yesterday morning he'd barely eating a thing, which prompted her to have the talk with Paul. Not only did it give her a peace of mind, it was good for Percy's overall health. She began running soap and water over some of the pans she'd used when Percy came up behind her, carrying his plate and Nico's plate. He set them beside the sink, kissed her cheek, then went back to sit at the table. He'd retrieved his backpack, and it rested at his feet. He crossed one leg over the other as he waited for Nico to return, closing his eyes.

Nico had emerged some minutes previously, but he studied the scene before him contently. Percy appeared relaxed and happy, something he hadn't seen since maybe Friday. Even at school, Percy was wound tighter than a wristwatch. He leaned against the doorframe to the hallway, crossing his arms over his chest. Percy's mom looked up at him, but he put a finger to his lips, and she nodded. Nico continued to study Percy, who'd opened his eyes and was staring at the ceiling, mouthing something to himself. He was oblivious to the extra set of eyes on him, but Nico was okay with that. He was so damn adorable. He'd brushed his hair down all the way around, with his bangs being slightly shorter than the rest of it. He had on tan slacks and a green polo, simple enough, but dressy. Nico looked down at his dark jeans and long sleeved sky blue shirt, contrast to his usual wardrobe. He certainly looked nothing like Percy, he mused. Finally, Percy flicked his gaze down from the ceiling, and was surprised to find the dark-haired boy watching him.

"What are you doing, you creep?" he asked, laughing lightly to show he was only kidding. Nico chuckled and swung his bag up onto his shoulder. Percy took the hint and picked up his own bag. "Are you just going to leave your duffle bag here?" the brunette asked.

"I'm coming back, aren't I?" the dark-haired boy asked. Percy nodded. Then glanced at the clock. "I know it's still early," Nico said. "School doesn't start for another hour. Maybe we can go outside for a little bit?" Percy nodded and led the way out front. He sat down in his swing, watching as Nico moved around inspecting this or that. Percy swung back and forth gently, blinking as the early morning sun caught on Nico's uncharacteristically bright shirt.

"Why the bright blue?" Percy asked. Nico turned to look at him. A little patch of wildflowers grew alongside the brunette's house, and Nico carefully picked one. He made his way back to Percy, tucking the flower in his hair. The brunette scowled at it. "Really?" he asked. "A flower."

"It's so adorable," Nico insisted, moving behind him and grabbing the ropes from the swing. "And you ask why I'm wearing the blue? Well, Jason told me blue is your favorite color." Percy twisted to look at him.

"So you're wearing the blue, just for me?" he asked in disbelief. This seemed way too good to be true. Nico smiled and gently pushed the brunette on his swing. He stepped back as Percy swung back and forth. "Why the bright blue though?" he asked.

"I guess I don't know," Nico replied at last. "It's better than navy blue, isn't it?" The brunette had to agree with that. Navy blue always made him feel a little depressed. It was so dark. Then again, so was Nico, so he couldn't complain in that department. He watched Nico go back to the wildflowers, and that reminded Percy of the one in his hair. He reached out and extracted it, turning it over in his fingers. He'd always liked the bright yellow wildflowers, and Nico appeared to like them too. He was busy picking a bunch, humming softly as he did so. Once he had a decent amount, he straightened and turned to look at the brunette. "I'm going to take these inside to your mother," he said. "I'll be back." Percy smiled, then slipped the flower into the pocket of his polo. Nico was a great boy to have around.

…

School passed by in a blur, and youth group came way sooner than Percy liked. But Nico gave him a confident smile and a pat on the back. He trailed behind the dark-haired boy, who met up with his sister outside the school. They then made their way to their family's car, which Bianca drove today so they could get to youth group faster. Before they went to New Hope, however, they had to swing by the middle school and pick up Hazel. Nico and Percy were sitting in the back, with their bags at their feet. Resting on the seat between them were their combined hands. Nico had taken Percy's shortly after they'd left the high school.

"Hello guys," Hazel said as she slid into the passenger seat. "Ready for this?" Bianca and Nico nodded, while Percy chose to stare out the window instead. He was secretly glad he was going to youth group today. He's missed speaking with Annabeth, Malcolm, Will, and the others. Bianca slid into the one of the spaces offered in front of the church, and the four kids tumbled out and made their way inside the building. They headed upstairs, to the chapel part of the church, where youth group was held. Nico let go of Percy's hand as the mounted the stairs, and the brunette was slightly disappointed with the fact. But he shrugged the thought aside. There was always later, he mused.

"Ah, I see the di Angelo's are back this week," Pastor Philip said, his kind, young face lighting up at the sight of the new students. "And Percy is back! I daresay we missed you last week, but your mother did deliver the poster like you asked her to." Percy nodded and took his place at the long folding table. He noticed Nico's spot was beside his, with Annabeth now across from him, next to Bianca. Hazel was seated between Will and Piper. He noticed with a little surprise Jason had shown up today as well. Slowly, the blonde winked at him. "And I'm pleased to see Jason Grace back with us again," Pastor Philip continued in that jovial manner he had. "I think we should revisit a topic we've previously discussed," he added. Now that got people talking. Percy exchanged an uneasy look with Jason.

"What would that be?" Annabeth asked, looking at the blonde. Jason ducked his head, but if Pastor Philip noticed any of this, he didn't let on. He just smiled at the ten young faces before him.

"About how we are the Lord's flock, and he is our shepherd," he replied, and Jason, Nico, and Percy breathed sighs of relief. Safe for another day. "But there will be plenty of time for that after some practice, since Malcolm is back with us." The other blonde boy gave a small wave. He still looked a little sickly, but he'd made a point to come to youth group. "I want Noah and his children up on stage," Pastor Philip directed. "Will, stand over here please." He directed Will to a place behind the piano, placing a microphone in his hand. "Nico, Hazel, Bianca, Jason…I don't really have anything for you to do," he said apologetically. "Do you think you guys could just watch?" They all sat down in the front pew and watched the rehearsal.

Percy won't bore you too much with the details, but they performed to Pastor Philip's liking. Nico, Hazel, Bianca, and Jason applauded at the end. Malcolm was flushed, though whether it was from pleasure or sickness, no one knew. Will stepped lightly on stage, grabbed Malcolm's hand, and together they bowed. Percy and the rest of Noah's children bowed after they did, to more applause.

"Wonderful!" Pastor Philip said, clasping his hands together. "We'll put on a real nice sermon on Sunday, what do you think?" Ten eager heads bobbed their agreement. "Now, that's out of the way, I think we can go back to our original topic. Everyone may sit on stage if they so wish," he added, and everyone formed a ragged circle on the stage. Nico hopped up and sat down beside Percy, and Jason plopped down on his other side. Pastor Philip smiled at them briefly, but then went back to making a show of consulting his notes. "Let's see, ah, yes… I forgot, today's topic isn't that." More murmuring from the nine teens and one preteen.

"What is it?" Annabeth asked again. She stared directly at Pastor Philip, but she couldn't help he gaze wandering to the trio of boys to the right side of the stage. They wouldn't meet the Pastor's eyes. But Pastor Philip merely smiled.

"I think it's time we moved on to something a little different than what we've been studying," he said. That got everyone's attention. "I think we should talk about a topic that is a part of your everyday life. Religion in schools. Our humble town is fortunate to interpret Morning Prayer for you all, among other things." Now the babble was excited babble. Religion in schools was a controversial topic they didn't get to discuss much. It would prove to be a nice, relaxing youth group after all.

…

"That wasn't all that bad," Nico said with a smile. He'd expected things to go a whole lot worse than they had. This proved to be an interesting topic, with everyone chipping in. Even the ones who weren't over religious (Nico and his family, and Jason) had agreed that schools should be allowed to incorporate religion if they so choose to. Not every school had to do it, just like every school had to ban religion. They were lucky though. Their high school was good about the whole religion thing. They even did daily Morning Prayers, normally with an overwhelming number of students showing up to participate.

"No, it really wasn't," Percy agreed, resting his head on the dark-haired boy's shoulder. Nico turned and kissed the top of his head, then began to run his fingers through Percy's hair. The brunette felt drained just thinking about the dinner with his stepfather coming up. "Don't forget to change when we get home," he reminded the dark-haired boy.

"I won't," Nico promised. "Don't you worry you're pretty little head about anything. I'm sure this dinner will be pleasant enough. By the way, your mom loved the flowers. Even Paul seemed surprised." Percy wrinkled his nose in amusement. When he was younger, he'd pick them for his mom when he saw fit. She always loved decorating the house with the bright yellow blooms. "It'll go swimmingly, you'll see," he said, kissing the brunette's forehead. Percy turned to look up at him.

"You seem so sure of yourself," he said. "How can you be so sure of this? I want to throw up just thinking about it." Nico chuckled.

"Because your mom loves you, and so does Paul," he replied. "Family is big to Christians, so this'll blow over before too long. But be confident in yourself. How do you expect them to accept you if you can't even accept yourself?" Percy sighed. That was quite the question, and he didn't have a solid answer. He didn't expect his parents to accept him right away. Well, he didn't expect Paul to anyway. His mom had already made it pretty clear she accepted not only him but Nico as well.

"I'm trying," he replied softly. "I really am. It's just hard to accept myself when I've been taught what I am is wrong." He closed his eyes and felt Nico's arm around him, filling him with a strength he didn't possess within himself.

"Just try a little harder," Nico prompted gently. "It'll all work out in the end as long as you can accept yourself. And don't anyone tell you anything different. You aren't confused. You aren't an abomination. What you're feeling is perfectly normal and actually almost required when you're learning to accept yourself." At that, he smiled. "So you see Percy? That's why it will all work out in the end." Percy sighed again. Nico made it sound so easy. So simple. Nothing could be further from the truth.

"Thanks Nico," the brunette muttered. "What would I do without you?" At that, the dark-haired boy's features hardened.

"You certainly wouldn't be doing this," he replied. "And you wouldn't have been kicked out of your house." Percy looked up to the anguished gaze of his friend. "Aw shit, I told Jason I'd go to the movies with him tonight," Nico said suddenly. "I'll just have to reschedule with him. This dinner is more important than some Hollywood plastic crap anyway." He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Jay, apologizing for not being able to make it, saying he'd explain later, when he was away from Percy.

"What good is triumph without trial?" Percy finally asked. "Nothing tastes sweeter than victory after defeat." Nico laughed.

"I don't think I could've said it better myself," Nico replied. "Oh look, we're here." Percy looked at his house with something close to unease. This was it. It was time for this big, peaceful dinner with his mother and uninterested stepdad.

…

For those of my fans that are in school, this will be nice to see after a long day, huh? And maybe a little bit of a shocker, since I'm not known for my fast updates these days, especially on the same story.


	15. Chapter 15-Dessert is Better Than Dinner

Sometimes I wonder if you guys are being sarcastic or are generally being sincere. I can detect it when I'm face to face with someone, but all I have to go by is a jumble of words on a screen the size of a large book. Not that easy, ya know.

Four chapters in two days, you guys are super lucky. But I always write when I'm depressed, so that might have something to do with it.

…

Percy wasn't sure if the quiet was a good thing or a bad thing. But right now, everyone was focused on dinner rather than conversation. When Percy first led Nico into the house, his mother greeted them warmly, thanking Nico for the flowers and saying what a delight it was to have him over, especially after youth group. The fact the brunette had youth group that day probably softened his stepdad considerably. Dinner was pretty good too, as far as Wednesday dinners went. It was grilled hamburgers, fresh salad, potato salad, and baked beans. As was custom, his mother and stepfather had a little wine with their Wednesday meal. Only a little. Nothing to make them out of it. Percy contented himself with water. Nico, after pretending to hold his glass out for wine, did likewise.

"Guess what we discussed at youth group today," Percy ventured, more for the sake of talking than anything. His stepfather's gaze flicked up to him. "Religion in schools," he added helpfully. "And we all agreed that the school had the right to incorporate religion as they saw fit."

"Thatta boys," Paul said, startling both Percy and Nico. They exchanged quick glances at each other. Then Percy shrugged. "Good call on your part. I think it's complete rubbish that some schools would just up and ban religious talk of any kind. I am, once again, grateful we live in the town we do." Paul took another sip of wine, his rant finished. Sally smiled at him. So far, this dinner had gone to her liking. Percy and Nico were both dressed up, though she had noticed as dinner went out, the sleeves of Nico's button down went up. That was something she thought she'd never see. So far, almost all her glimpses of her son's friend had been with long sleeves. The only exception was this morning, but he'd been careful to keep his hands facing the right way. She had to wonder why.

"So Nico," she said, and his kind, dark eyes fixed on her. Right now, they appeared green. A very pretty green, but green nonetheless. Not a green like Percy's, which they often called sea-green. Nico's were more olive green. "Have you been enjoying the town so far?"

"It's quite amazing, really," he said truthfully. "I come from the big city, so the change is definitely noticeable. I'm used to my school only being down the street, or Main Street being a short walk away. I love the closeness, both with the town itself and the people in it. I've noticed people tend to know your name as you walk down the street." He smiled, kind of ruefully. "Not so much in the city. It was always a sea of endless faces, most of which you didn't know because they weren't from there."

"Yes, it's quite nice, really," Sally agreed. "I grew up in the country, so I guess I wouldn't know what big city life is really like. I would imagine it's very hectic." Percy watched the scene with mild interest. His mom and Nico had apparently hit it off, and even Paul had stopped eating and was listening to the conversation. Nico nodded enthusiastically. He was rather enjoying this peaceful conversation with his sort-of-boyfriend's mother. "But do you like small town life?" Nico shot quick look at Percy, smiling faintly.

"I believe I will like it just fine," he said, turning his attention back the brunette's mom. "Especially if your son is with me." Percy blushed. Now why did Nico have to go and say a corny thing like that?

"Oh Paul, did you hear that?" his mom gushed, turning to his stepdad. "That sounds like how you talked about me when we first met." Paul was studying Nico with new interest. It was true. When he'd first met Sally, he'd used corny lines like that to try and woo her. He still used lines like that, just not as often. Nico seemed like a nice enough boy. He was nice and polite. He'd even brought his wife a bundle of her favorite wildflowers. A kid like that couldn't be all bad, he could he? He shook his head. No, he couldn't be all that bad. Besides, he hadn't seen Percy this happy since maybe Friday morning. Five days ago. He didn't like seeing his stepson that sad, and sending Nico away broke his heart. Now, it appeared to be slowly but surely piece itself back together.

"I must say, Nico," Paul said quietly. "You are very polite." Nico puffed out his chest a little out that. Percy emitted something that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a hiccup, and Nico turned to glare at him. Percy coughed, then grinned up at him. Nico's glare melted away and took Percy's hand in his under the table, squeezing gently. Percy grin turned into a full smile, though neither of his parents knew why. They simply assumed they were having a silent conversation, one that made them both happy. Then, very slowly and deliberately, Nico leaned over and brushed his lips against Percy's. The brunette gasped, but the grip on his hand tightened, and Nico smiled reassuringly at him. He flicked his gaze to his parents momentarily. His mother was smiling with barely contained joy, while his stepfather looked indifferent. "Yes, well," he said awkwardly. "All very good. Er, I suppose you'll be back, won't you?" Now Nico swung his smile to the brunette's parents.

"Thank you both very much," he said obediently. "The dinner was lovely, and it was nice getting to know you both on a more personal level. Now, may we be excused? I'm sure your son would like to discuss what just happened." That seemed to win them over. They shooed them away from the table, saying they'd clean up while the two boys talked. Nico dragged an un-responding Percy down to his room. He closed the door softly behind him and leaned his weight on it, grinning like a madman. "Oh, that went so much better than I'd planned," he said breathlessly.

"That makes two of us," Percy replied, sinking down into his desk chair. Had that really just happen? Did Nico really kiss him in front of his parents, and they say nothing more about it than asking Nico if he would be coming back? Though Paul looked vaguely uncomfortable with the kiss, he didn't flat out tell the boys to stop. "C'mere," Percy whispered. Nico came and leaned down over him, tilting his head to the side curiously. Percy wrapped his arms around the dark-haired boy's neck and brought their faces closer together, kissing him. Nico smiled at the kiss, then dropped a hand on Percy's shoulder. He pulled away. Percy whimpered.

"Aw, now that's cute," Nico said, dropping down onto the bed. Percy scrambled to sit beside him and they fell back together, giggling and holding onto each other. Nico wrapped one arm loosely around the brunette's waist and drew him close, so close, in fact, that their noses touched. A smile broke out on the brunette's face. "That was honestly less scary than I could've imagined," Nico said. "Your mom probably helped a lot."

"Yeah, she's the best," Percy agreed, slipping an arm under Nico's head. The dark-haired boy smiled at the unexpected pillow, and softly brushed his lips against Percy's. "You know, now that we don't have to sneak around, this feels amazing," Percy said, running his fingers through Nico's hair. The dark-haired boy grunted his agreement, feeling the gently tugging sensation he'd grown to love when Percy toyed with his hair.

"Do you think they'd let you spend the night?" the dark-haired boy asked instead, momentarily ignoring the soothing tugging of his hair. Percy frowned thoughtfully, stopping what he was doing for the moment. But at Nico's noise of protest, he began again.

"I don't know," he replied truthfully. "It's a school night, after all. And so far, we've been pretty lucky. I don't think we should push out luck. But…" he added slyly, and Nico perked up at that. "Maybe they'd let you stay here again. After all, I wouldn't be the one leaving." Nico kissed Percy again, practically trembling with excitement. "Mom, can Nico spend the night again!" Percy called.

"I don't care honey!" she called back. "Just don't do anything bad, okay!" Percy grinned at Nico.

"That's a yes," he said. "Don't you love me mom?"

…

Nico hummed happily as he replaced the old clothes in his duffle bag with fresh clothes. Spending the night at Percy's again had been unexpected, but definitely exciting. He'd been surprised when they said yes, to say the least. But then again, maybe they were trying to make up for all the pain and heartache they'd caused the poor boy. Hazel had made her way into his room when he'd come home. The first thing she'd noticed was his rolled up sleeves.

"You're not wearing long sleeves," she said. Nico laughed as he removed his dirty clothes. He'd gotten hot while he was at Percy's for dinner, so he'd rolled the sleeves up to his elbows in an attempt to cool himself off. No one noticed his scars, thank god, because they sure did start some interesting conversations. He'd probably have to tell Percy's parents about it at some point, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. He didn't want them to think he was unfit to take care of their son.

"For the first time since seventh grade, I haven't felt the need," the dark-haired boy replied with a shrug. That much was true. As the dinner wore on, he didn't feel the overwhelming desire to tug his sleeves back down to hide his scars. It just didn't seem necessary at the time. Plus, he'd had a couple years practice hiding them. "His parents were polite enough," he added, mostly to distract her.

"Even Paul?" she asked skeptically. Nico knew the reason for her skepticism. He hadn't really believed it either, but he was willing to take just about anything he could get. Once again, he shrugged.

"I guess so," he responded. "He didn't seem particularly pleased by the turn of events, but you should've seen the way Percy's face lit up when I was able to be over yesterday, and then when he heard I could keep coming around. I think Paul realized Percy's happiness outranks his own petty feelings. After all, that's his stepson, the boy he loved and raised like he was his very own." He smiled like the thought pleased him. "Yes, I think that was the case here."

"Still, something seems off," Hazel cautioned. "Just watch your back. And keep hidden. We don't need more bad publicity. It wasn't your fault!" she added hurriedly as Nico turned to glare at her. "I'm just saying."

"I know Hazel, I know," he said with a little sigh. "It's not like I fully trust the guy either, but I'm willing to take what I can get. After all, what's more important here? My sneaking suspicions or Percy's happiness."

"Percy's happiness," Hazel said reluctantly. "But your happiness is important too. Don't forget that." Nico laughed.

"You wanna know what makes me happy?" he asked. "Because it's quite simple really. I'm a simple person to please. Percy's happiness makes me happy. As long as he's happy, I'm happy. What more could I want?"

"The freedom to be yourself without worrying about getting dirty looks," Hazel replied. "Being able to hold Percy's hand in the halls or in the classroom. Being able to kiss…"

"Yeah, yeah, that would be nice too," Nico mumbled, feeling annoyed. Hazel didn't need to point all that stuff out to him. He already knew all that. She didn't need to remind him. "Let's take it one step at a time, kay?"

…

Once again, Percy found himself waiting for Nico to return from the bathroom. He'd already been there (as was custom), and now it was Nico's turn. But Percy hadn't felt like fully changing. So he lounged around in a shirt that almost reached his knees, and his boxers of course. He stretched lazily, brushing the headboard with his fingertips. So far, all was right with his world. The boy he liked was getting ready for another sleepover, and he hadn't heard a peep out of his parents. Not even Paul. That was the biggest blessing.

Nico came back from the bathroom and nearly ran into the doorframe when he saw Percy laying in nothing but a t-shirt. His jaw dropped, and Percy laughed, delighted he'd caught Nico off guard. The dark-haired boy hurried the rest of the way into the room and shut the door firmly behind him. No silly rules tonight. Maybe his parents realized they wouldn't really follow them anyway. Huh, that wasn't how the good Christian boy behaved, he thought. Ironic, really. He was quickly becoming anything but the good Christian boy, yet he felt happier than he had in ages.

"Are you purposely trying to tease me?" Nico asked, pulling him back to the present. "Because if you are, you're cruel. And unfair. But oh, so, smoking hot." Once again, Percy laughed. And this time, Nico laughed with him, sitting down on the edge of the bed and running his fingers over the brunette's shirt. "Mmmm, surprisingly soft," he mumbled.

"Yeah," Percy said. "I love it, because it's so big and roomy." Nico shook his head and his grin widened. "And I bet you love it too," he said cheekily.

"Mmmm, that I do," Nico agreed, laying down beside the brunette and pulling him close. "But I love the person who's inside it more." Percy stared at him, nonplussed. But then it seemed to dawn on him.

"You?" he asked, not able to form a full thought and sentence. "You?" he asked again. Nico chuckled lowly and grabbed something out of his backpack. His drawing pad.

"Here, this may help," he said, opening it to the appropriate page and holding it up for the brunette to see. Percy stared in fascinated shock at the black bubble letters with their host of color. He traced the outline of his name, staring at from the pad to Nico to the pad again. "Say something Percy," Nico pleaded. "Say anything, actually. Yell and scream if you want. Anything's better than the silence." But Percy decided on a different approach. He reached over the dark-haired boy and extracted his own drawing pad from its hidden location in his drawer. He flipped to the right page and held it out to the dark-haired boy to read. Nico squinted at it, trying to decipher the sloppy cursive. But then his eyes widened and he sat up. Percy sat cross-legged opposite him, smiling faintly. Nico took a marker out of his bag and wrote something quickly. He held it out so the brunette could see it.

_Really?_ Percy smiled. He grabbed his own marker and set to work, this time writing slowly and deliberately. Mostly, it was so he would write out the message neatly. Partly, it was to see how far Nico's patience went. It wasn't too long that Nico was squirming in his seat, eager to see what the brunette was saying. Finally, he held out the drawing pad.

_Yes, really. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, you goof._ Percy smiled so Nico knew there was no ill feelings about that goof comment_. Do I have to shout it out? I love you!_ Nico chuckled and scribbled something down. He wasn't taking his time. He wanted to say this as soon as he could.

_I love you too! Ha ha. Wanna be boyfriends? _Percy swallowed hard. He wasn't entirely sure he was ready for that step. Nico laid a hand on his shoulder, and Percy turned to look at him. His dark eyes were open and honest. He was ready for whatever the answer would be, whether it was good or bad.

"Whaddya say Percy?" Nico asked softly. "I know things are moving fast paced, but do you want to go out with me? Not openly, of course. It would be more of an honorary thing." That made the brunette a little mad.

"If I were to date you," he snapped, and the dark-haired boy recoiled. "I wouldn't want it to be a secret. Why would I want to mask my happiness?" Nico once again laid a hand on his shoulder.

"No one knows you're gay yet," Nico pointed out. Percy hated it when the dark-haired boy was right. "Besides, it wouldn't really be a secret. We could still go do things together. Only we'd know they're dates." He wrinkled his nose in amusement. "I love you too much to let you slip away. Please say yes." He pouted, and that within itself was enough for the brunette. He laughed.

"Alright, alright," he said. "I'll be your boyfriend." Nico whooped and threw his arms around the brunette, kissing him with barely contained enthusiasm. Percy smiled into the kiss, which felt a little weird. Nico gently shoved on his shoulders until he was laying back, with the dark-haired boy on top of him. Nico began slowly lifting Percy's shirt over his head, seeking permission. The brunette nodded, and the dark-haired boy tore his shirt free, so he was laying in just his boxers. Percy trembled, though it was from excitement. Nico reached over and casually flipped off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. "Nico?" Percy whispered. He waited until his eyes adjusted, then he could make out Nico's form.

"Shh, it's okay Percy," Nico replied. "Are you frightened? I can get your shirt if you want." But Percy shook his head.

"No, no, it's okay," he said. "It's just a little…cold." Nico smiled. He knew it wasn't. Then he looked down a little and the answer became clear. Nico smiled softly and tugged the blanket over them both. Percy squirmed uncomfortably. His little problem was becoming quite uncomfortable, but he couldn't do much about it with Nico near. The dark-haired boy smiled again. He could sense Percy's growing discomfort. He began to fiddle with the elastic of the brunette's boxers, effectively taking his mind off his problem. Nico experimentally slipped the boxers down a little, and Percy whimpered.

"Is that too much?" he whispered, tugging them back up. "We can go slowly."

"No," Percy insisted. "It's fine." And it was. He was excited to see how far Nico would take it tonight. Nico smiled down at the brunette beauty beneath him. He was really ready for some action tonight, he mused quietly. He stripped down to his boxers as well. Percy gasped as the beautiful body was suddenly exposed for him. He ran his hands down Nico's chest and stomach, moving to his hips. Now, the only thing between his fingers and the dark-haired boy's skin was the thin material of his boxers. Nico smiled again, sensing Percy's need, but deciding it was too soon to allow him that.

"Calm down," he said with a tiny laugh. "Your parents are still here after all." Percy pouted and whimpered. Now that Nico had gotten him in the mood, he was excited. And he wanted some relief. Not only was it becoming uncomfortable, it was becoming painful. Nico looked a little guilty for a moment. "Aw shit, really?" he asked. Percy only replied with another whimper. "Percy, I can't help you with that. You'll have to go take care of it yourself." His eyes widened.

"No!" he hissed. "I…I've never done it before." He blushed. He hated admitting that.

"You've got to be kidding me," Nico muttered. "Really Percy? Really?" Now the brunette felt wounded. It wasn't his fault he'd never done that before. "Good God Percy, alright," Nico huffed at last. "I'll walk you through it through the door, alright." But Percy shook his head.

"I want you to help me," he whined. Nico looked pained. He wanted to do whatever made Percy happy, but this…this he wasn't comfortable with. How would he get out of this one?

…

Yes, how indeed. Another fast update!


	16. Chapter 16-The Truth is Better?

Oh, I've had quite the last couple of days. You probably don't want to hear all the details, but I'm going to tell you anyway, because I think someone actually asked. Way back in April, I got accused of shoving some girl on the bus (which is untrue because I hate bullying of any kind being a victim of such torture). And now they've decided to get me for assault charges. It's an empty case, but it still has me riled nonetheless.

Alright, enough of my personal life. I bet you all want to know what Nico does about this latest uncomfortable situation.

…

"Percy," Nico said slowly. "Are you sure you don't want to just take care of it yourself? It'll be better for both of us that way." Even in the darkness, he could see the hurt on Percy's face. He was frightened, he realized. The brunette never had to deal with this kind of problem before. He wanted to growl in frustration. "It passes after a bit," he added. "Let's see if we can get your mind off it." The most Percy could manage was a nod. He was trying really hard not to speak, because he was sure another whimper would escape. "Tell me a story," the dark-haired boy said, setting down beside the brunette and wrapping one arm loosely around his waist. "Tell me about getting Paul as your stepdad."

"Well, he was the principal of the high school at the time," Percy replied. "I was still in preschool when they met, and they sort of met through me. I had an after school activity group there, and mom came to pick me up one day. Normally I took the taxi home, but for some reason she was there. Paul was smitten with her the moment they met, and a year later, they got married." He smiled. "That's why mom said they've been together ten years. They've only been married nine." Nico sighed happily.

"Oh that sounds lovely," he said, absent-mindedly running his hand over the brunette's stomach. Which, admittedly, wasn't helping get his mind off his problem. But he took a few deep breaths and focused on Nico's face. The dark-haired boy looked a little dreamy. "I wish I could have a story like that."

"Your parents have been together a long time though," Percy pointed out. "A lot longer than my mom and stepdad have been." At that, Nico grinned. It was a flash of white in the otherwise dark room.

"Twenty years and counting," Nico replied. "Their anniversary is coming up, actually. My sisters and I are trying to convince them to go back to the city for the weekend, for a romantic getaway." Now Percy sighed. That sounded like the kind of anniversary he wanted to have when he got older. Nico continued to run his fingers over his stomach, and he growled in frustration. "What's wrong?" Nico asked.

"Distraction isn't working and it hurts!" he whined. He knew he sounded childish, but there was no dodging the bullet with this one. It had to be taken care of. Nico chewed his lower lip. He'd half hoped that talking would get Percy's mind off it and it would solve itself. But it appeared that the tactic wasn't working out very well. He sighed.

"Percy, I really don't want to do this," he tried. "I've never helped another person before. Or even talked another person through it." Percy's face fell. He was scared to do it for the first time by himself. "Please don't look like that," Nico pleaded. "This is hard enough as it is."

"You think I don't know that," Percy gritted out. "And you think you're uncomfortable here." Nico smirked. True enough. He wasn't the one having to deal with the problem. "What are we going to do?" Percy asked.

"Like I said, I can walk you through it through the door," the dark-haired boy replied. "I think that's going to be what is beneficial for us both. You don't really have to be alone, as you would call it, and I don't actually have to…touch anything." Percy tilted his head to the side thoughtfully.

"Why wouldn't you want to touch anything?" he asked. "Aren't you at least curious?" Nico closed his eyes. Of course he was curious. But he was going to respect Percy's privacy, or what little of it he had left. "Please help," Percy said softly. "Pretty please." Nico sighed. How could he say no to that pleading voice?

"Oh, er, uh, fine," he said at last, swallowing hard. Why did he agree to help? He grabbed ahold of Percy's boxers, looking him in the eyes. Percy looked equal parts excited and nervous. Nico took a few deep breaths, preparing himself for what was about to happen. He began to slide the brunette's boxers down. Slowly, ever so slowly. They were at his hips now…

"Stop!" Percy cried, grabbing the dark-haired boy's wrist. "Stop! I change my mind, I change my mind!" Nico breathed a little sigh of relief. He'd been dreading this since they began. Percy tugged his boxers back up. "Can we do this a different way?" he asked.

"Yeah," Nico replied. He got up and put his pajama pants back on. "Come with me, please." Percy followed behind Nico, though he had a little trouble walking. Mostly because he was shaking. Nico put a comforting arm around his shoulders, murmuring to him quietly as he led the brunette across the hall. Percy disappeared inside the bathroom, and Nico took his place outside, ready to walk Percy though it.

…

"Whew, that feels better," Percy said, collapsing onto his bed. Nico chuckled and sat down beside the brunette, rubbing his back. Percy smiled up at him. Nico made a good instructor, telling him what to do with gentleness. It had felt…he wasn't sure how it had felt. But he was glad it was over.

"It's late," Nico said, more to change the topic than anything. "I think it's time we settle down." Percy nodded and pulled the blanket up to his chin. Nico slipped down to the floor and laced his fingers behind his head on his borrowed pillow. Truth be told, he felt wired. Like he'd had a few cups of Percy's mom's delicious coffee before coming back to bed. He soon heard the rhythmic breathing of someone deep in sleep, and he smiled. Percy was down and out. Well, he was the one down, but you could fill in the gaps on that joke. Whereas he had a thousand thoughts wreaking havoc in his brain.

Looking back, he often had to wonder how he'd made it this far. Sure, the love of his family certainly helped. It helped a great deal. But even that hadn't worked for a brief period of time. The change of scenery, and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city, was supposed to have a soothing effect on him. His therapist actually recommended it. He explained that if Nico got away from what was getting him down, maybe he'd perk up a bit. Nico glanced around the bedroom that wasn't his, smiling to himself. This was a far cry from the bedroom that conjured so many problems in the past. Sometimes, he still wasn't sure why he hadn't snapped.

Yes he did. All of a sudden, he did. He rose to a sitting position and stared at Percy, curled up and sleeping peacefully, the bear Hazel let him keep trapped in the crook of his arm. Percy may think that Nico was saving him. But that wasn't quite true. Well, it was true, but that street travelled both ways. Percy gave Nico purpose, and a reason to keep wanting to live. If they made it through this tiny bump in the road, he hoped to find himself with many years with Percy Jackson, the boy who quite possibly saved his life.

…

"Nico, wake up," Percy whispered. He was hanging half off the bed, gently prodding Nico's side. The dark-haired boy grumbled something and swatted at his hand, rolling over to face away from the brunette. "Nico, it's morning. And guess what? I didn't have another nightmare!" Nico rolled back over and smiled up at the brunette without actually opening his eyes.

"Great," he whispered sleepily. "What time is it?" Percy glanced at the alarm clock.

"Seven," he replied. Nico groaned and sat up, rubbing the small of his back. Then he stretched and rose to his feet. Percy hauled himself back up onto his bed and watched the dark-haired boy get ready for the day. Since they'd both already seen each other in their underwear, it seemed pointless to disappear into the bathroom, so Nico began dressing in Percy's room. He pulled his bright orange t-shirt over his head, and Percy gaped. Not because of the bright color, but because of the fact it had short sleeves. "You're going to wear a t-shirt today?" he asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you wear a t-shirt in public." Nico smirked.

"That's because I don't wear t-shirts in public," the dark-haired boy replied. "Well, not normally anyway. But today I think I'll make an exception." Percy beamed at him. "I doubt people will notice these bad boys anyway," Nico continued, spreading his hands so his scars were briefly visible. "And if they do, I'll make up something. I don't people thinking I'm unstable before I've really gotten to know them." He dug his comb out of his duffle bag and ran it through his hair, smoothing it down where it had spiked up from sleep. Percy took the hint and hurled himself off his bed, stumbling to his closet to look for something to wear. He had a lot of polo shirts, but he didn't want a polo today. He had a few sweatshirts, and he selected one. He grabbed some jeans from his dresser and changed quickly. He tugged the sweatshirt over his head and let the hood fall back. "Now that's almost as odd as seeing me wear short sleeves," Nico commented.

"Do I look bad?" Percy asked, studying himself in the mirror attached to his closet door. Nico came behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. "I don't look bad, do I? I haven't worn a sweater to school since I was ten." Nico whistled softly.

"And I thought I was a little weirdo," he joked, poking Percy's side. The brunette twisted away, giggling. "You look great Perce. And if no one else things so, so what? Do you like the way you look?" Percy once again turned to study himself in the mirror. He looked like himself, but not like himself. The old Percy wouldn't even consider going to school in a sweater. Finally, he smiled.

"Yeah, I do," he said, rolling the sleeves of the sweater up. "But I like this look better." Nico smiled and kissed his temple, floating off the put things back in his bag. Percy sat down on the bed and laced his tennis shoes, waiting for Nico to finish. When the dark-haired boy straightened, Percy led the way down the hall to the kitchen, where they each got a bowl of cereal to eat. They sat down opposite each other at the table, eating in relative silence. Sally, upon seeing their arrival from the living room, filtered in and poured them each a mug of coffee. She set them in front of the boys, as well as the creamer and sugar. Percy helped himself while Nico drank his black like before, sighing in appreciation. He really did love her strong coffee.

"That's a new look," Sally commented. Percy glanced down at the sweater, blushing faintly. "It's good to see you loosening up," she added, and the brunette relaxed. Paul came in, kissed Sally's cheek, and ruffled Percy's hair.

"Gotta go," he said. "Have a good day at school boys." He let himself out the back door, and Percy and Nico exchanged looks. That hadn't happened yesterday. Maybe Paul was becoming human after all. Percy finished his cereal, then stuck his bowl in the sink. He nursed his mug of coffee while Nico finished his breakfast. His mom sat at the bar, reading her book and drinking her own cup of coffee. When Percy turned to look at her, she looked up and winked. He smiled. Things were more or less returning to normal. With the exception of the dark-haired boy being here, he amended. Nico looked up like he knew Percy was thinking about him and smiled.

"We should go soon," he said, rising and placing his bowl in the sink. He downed the rest of his coffee and snatched up his bag. Percy drained the rest of his coffee and put his mug in the sink. He got his own backpack and followed Nico outside. "Well, if this isn't a nice surprise," Nico said. Percy peered around the dark-haired boy and saw Jason.

"Thought you guys could use a little extra company," the blonde said. "Plus, your house is on the way." His eyes sparkled with humor, which Percy found rather odd. Jason hadn't looked that happy since…he couldn't remember when. Nico grinned in turn, and something seemed to pass between the two boys. Their faces both fell and they turned to study Percy, who felt like he'd totally missed something. "We should tell him," Jason said softly.

"No!" Nico hissed. "Things have finally gotten a little better inside his house. We don't need to bother him with that bit of news."

"What bit of news?" Percy asked. Jason and Nico turned guiltily toward the brunette, who'd come up silently behind me. Jason was the first to recover, as usual.

"Nico, we can't lie to him. That wouldn't help him; it would hurt him," Jason said. Nico made a face. He would rather not tell Percy what happened, but Jason was right. They couldn't hide what they did. If it ever got out by accident, and they didn't tell the brunette, it would hurt twice as bad as it would today. Nico nodded once, and Jason turned to Percy. "Percy, this is going to be really hard to hear," he began, and the brunette gulped. That was always a bad start to a conversation. "Okay, so on Tuesday I was over at Nico's house. We were talking and just kind of kidding around."

"That sounds fun," Percy interrupted. So far, he didn't see anything off about this story. Jason shook his head, looking flustered.

"That's not the point," he said. "We fell back on the bed together and we kissed!" He blurted the last part out before he could stop himself. Nico turned away. He couldn't look the brunette in the eye. Maybe that a good thing. Because Jason did. And the hurt and betrayal in those normally kind sea-green eyes nearly broke him.

"You guys kissed?" he asked quietly. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His best friend kissed his boyfriend? "Why?" he asked.

"I don't know!" Jason exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "It just happened. Percy, I am so sorry. I swear it won't happen again." But Percy didn't hear him. Or see him, for that matter. His eyes were blurring with tears. He took off toward the school, ignoring Jason's cries. Nico finally looked up, only to glare at the blonde.

"That went swimmingly," he said, his voice oozing with sarcasm. "Let's go see if we can cheer him up."

…

Percy did his best to avoid both Nico and Jason, which was hard because they were in almost all of his classes. He had four classes with Nico and two classes with Jason. First hour, he asked the teacher if he could be put in a different spot. The teacher agreed, albeit reluctantly, and Percy moved to sit in his new spot. The hurt in Nico's eyes was almost worse than the hurt in his own. After class, he bolted from the room, leaving the blonde and dark-haired boy behind.

After school, he raced home ahead of them both. He couldn't face them both. He felt betrayed. Only unavailable for one day and already his best friend and boyfriend moved on? With each other? What made it worse was Jason already had a boyfriend. He wondered if Luke knew what they did, and if Jason would tell him too. If not, the brunette would gladly do it for him. When he entered his house and slammed the door shut, his mom looked up in surprise.

"No Nico?" she asked. Percy choked back the tears and shook his head, stumbling down the hall to his room. He closed the door and threw himself onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow and bursting into tears. "Are you okay honey?" his mom called, sounding worried.

"I'm fine mom!" Percy called back, swiping a hand under his eyes. "I'm going to start homework so don't bother me please." He shoved his desk against his door, sighing. He couldn't face his mom. He spent the last week trying to convince her Nico was a good guy. Now he found out maybe Nico wasn't so good after all. It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been Jason he'd kissed. That made it so much worse. The fact Nico kissed his best friend cut deep.

"Someone's here to see you," his mom said, somehow shoving the door open. "Young man, get that desk away from your door this instant." Percy complied, waiting to see who it would be. He was pleasantly surprised to find Jason entering his room. "Play nice boys," she said, disappearing. Percy crossed his arms in front of his chest and waited for something to happen. Jason sat down at his desk chair and refused to meet his eyes.

"What do you want?" Percy finally asked. "Shouldn't you be next door with Nico?"

"I was," the blonde replied, and Percy bristled. "But it was because he was so depressed. I think what we all did broke him. I hope he doesn't revert to cutting again." All the fight left Percy then. He'd forgotten how fragile Nico really could be.

…

Nico never felt this kind of pain. Dustin moving away seemed like a tea party compared to this. Even living in that place for two years felt better than this. Everything he'd done not to hurt Percy came crashing down in an instant. He secluded himself in his room, but he still didn't feel any better. Rising, he made his way to the bathroom to splash water on his face. He stood over the sink, watching the water run down the drain. He noticed his mother's razor off to the side, and he really was tempted. He picked it up and studied the blades. Sharp.

"No," he said. "You promised Percy you wouldn't do that again." He began to set it back down, but then he froze.

_So?_ His mind asked him. _Percy doesn't want to speak to you again, so why would he care about you right now?_ His grip on the razor tightened. That was a very good point. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths, holding the razor against his skin. Before he completely lost his nerve, he ran it across his wrist, gasping at the pain. He watched the blood drip into the sink, feeling the little thrill of satisfaction. He'd forgotten how good cutting felt.

…

Oh no, poor Nico. I don't think this story is rated M quite yet. But it may get there.


	17. Chapter 17-Self-Doubt

Okay, so we've sort of strayed from the real point of this story as of right now, so I'm going to try and get it back on track.

…

Percy convinced his mom to let him stay home on Friday, saying that he didn't feel well. Secretly, he was feeling uneasy about this whole situation once again. He suddenly felt the weight of his new sort of lifestyle pressing down on him again. It hadn't been a full week since he'd been outed, yet at odd intervals it would suddenly dawn on him that if anyone found out, he'd be in serious trouble. His stepdad might've been coming around, but it was a slow process. Paul still wasn't fully comfortable with Nico, but he was really making an effort.

Nico. The name left a bitter taste in his mouth today. He knew he'd overreacted yesterday. After all, Tuesday he'd been unavailable, and Nico had been a free spirit. After all, they'd only started going out Wednesday night. But still, knowing he'd kissed Jason hurt like nothing else had before. Except maybe Paul kicking him out of the house because he was something he had no control over. Which began to weigh on his mind once again. And, as before, he began to doubt himself. What if he wasn't actually gay? After all, he'd been raised a straight boy. A good Christian boy. What if he was just going along with whatever pleased his new neighbor?

Deep down, he knew that wasn't the issue. The issue was that he was feeling hurt and betrayed and he was willing to believe just about anything, even if it meant believing it was something he wasn't (in this case, it would be that he was straight). Finding himself with nothing to do, Percy wandered the house like a lost puppy. He floated from room to room, never staying in one place long. At one point, he stumbled into his parents' room and sat down heavily on their bed. He gazed at the pictures on their walls. Of them and him when he was a lot younger. Back then, everything had been simple. There were no confusing roads to go down, and Percy hadn't been a disappointment. Back then, he'd been the good son, the son a father (or stepfather) would be proud of.

Finally, Percy decided to log onto The Gay Christian Network and talk to people about his feelings. It seemed easier to converse with people when he wasn't face to face with them. He sighed on and sat at the computer, hands hovering over the keyboard. What did he want to say? He wasn't entirely sure. So instead, he stared at his username while he tried to think. Nico had helped him create the name, and at the time he'd found it a little silly. It still seemed a little silly. ComfortableWithMYSELF. It was laughable because Percy was anything but. He was still full of self-doubt. Finally, he had what he wanted to write. He logged onto the chatroom and began to type his message.

_Hey guys! My name is kind of laughable, because I'm definitely anything but comfortable with myself. But I'm trying. I'm really trying. So is my stepdad. He was the biggest homophobe I knew, but he's coming around. Anyway, that isn't what I want to talk about. I recently got together with my new neighbor, who has been nothing but supportive and patient and loving. He's the boy everyone dreams about. But I found out he kissed my best friend, and I'm not sure how to deal with it. Any suggestions?_

Percy sat back, studying his message. It hit everything he wanted to clarify. The response was almost instantaneous. Since he was home alone, Percy decided to read some of the comments out loud. After all, who would be around to hear him? He had three responses so far, and he leaned forward, getting ready to read.

"'Hello ComfortableWithMYSELF. I think it is utterly amazing you've come out with a stepdad like that. You and your neighbor have real courage. And don't worry. God always has a plan. Either you and your neighbor will mend your broken hearts or you were never meant to be. Just trust in Him and you're future is secure.'" Percy felt himself unexpectedly warmed by that encouragement. Of course. If he trusted God, everything would work out. But, maybe he could take matters into his own hands for right now and apologize to Nico for his behavior. Nico hadn't needed that. He went to turn away, but a new comment caught his eye. "NicotheAngel?" he asked himself. "Isn't that Nico's name on here?" The walls, of course, offered no response. "'ComfortableWithMYSELF, I'm sure your boyfriend feels awful for what he's done and wants to offer his deepest apology. He is, after all, very lucky he met you and would do anything to see you smile again.'" Percy smiled to himself. Nico said that to him. His Nico said that to him. He decided to call the dark-haired boy. He grabbed his phone off the bar and plopped down on the couch, listening to the phone ring.

"Hello?" Percy's heart skipped a beat when Nico picked up. "Percy, is that you?" he asked. "What are you calling me for? Aren't you at school?"

"No I'm…wait, you're not at school either?" he asked, suddenly intrigued. If Nico had been at school, then he'd know the brunette hadn't shown up today. "What are you doing home?" Nico paused just long enough to tell the brunette whatever he was about to say was a lie.

"I'm sick," he said simply. "Mom's here with me, so if you want some company, please, feel free to drop by. Our door is always open."

"I think I will," Percy said. "Be over in a second. Love you." He hung up before Nico could say anything, mostly because he was embarrassed. He never told people he loved them over the phone, especially if he'd just had a fight with them. But after the sweet things Nico said to him, he found it hard to remain mad at him. Percy grabbed his drawing pad and markers, then pulled a baseball cap low over his hair. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted the cap today. It made it easier to shield his eyes. He walked across the backyards to Nico's house and let himself in the backdoor. Nico was sitting at the table, his laptop balanced on his knee. He had on a short sleeved shirt, and his wrists were heavily bandaged. When the brunette entered, he looked up curiously. "What did you do?" Percy asked, motioning to his wrists. Nico looked down like he was noticing the bandages for the first time.

"I'm sick, remember? I'm fine." But Nico refused to meet the brunette's gaze. That's when Percy knew it was bad. He sat beside Nico at the table and took the dark-haired boy's hands in his own. Nico looked up into the kind sea-green eyes of his boyfriend, silently urging him to tell the truth. And Nico found it hard to resist. "God Percy," he said softly, resting his forehead on the brunette's shoulder. Percy kissed his temple and simply waited. Nico would tell him, in due time. He needed to collect his thoughts first. "Percy, please, don't let the rest of my family know. Only mom knows this, and she swore she wouldn't tell my dad and my sisters. It would break their hearts, especially Hazel."

"You cut again, didn't you?" Percy asked. Nico flinched. This situation was all wrong. He was supposed to be the one comforting Percy, not the other way around. Slowly, he unwrapped the bandages on his wrists to reveal the new, red, ugly scars. He heard Percy's quick intake of breath, but his eyes were shaded, so he couldn't be sure what the brunette was thinking. "That looks painful," he said, gently bandaging the cuts again. "Don't leave them out like that too long or they'll stick." Nico sniffed.

"I have no idea what drove me to that point," the dark-haired boy said softly. "Actually, yes I do. Seeing the way you looked at Jason and myself…that hurt worse than these." He held up his bandaged wrists, then let them hang loosely at his sides. "I couldn't take the fact of you possibly not loving me anymo…" He was cut off abruptly as Percy crashed his lips to his. Nico was stunned. Percy never kissed him first, and if he did, it was tentative and shy. This…this was something else. Percy was in control.

"Nico," he said when he pulled away. "Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever make me stop loving you." Nico gave the brunette a shy smile. "But please, talk to me before you feel you have to do this again, okay? I don't want you to get back into that nasty habit." Nico smiled again. He had to admit, it felt nice to be fussed over by his caring boyfriend. Percy kissed him again, and all his troubles seemed to melt away.

…

Nico and Percy spent a quiet day curled on the couch together, watching TV. Occasionally, the dark-haired boy's mom would come and put something on Nico's wrist. The dark-haired boy winced whenever her fingers touched his tender scars, and whenever he did, Percy would rest his head on his shoulder and kiss his neck. It served as a good distraction. About half-way through the day, Percy took his cap off and put it on Nico's head. They both admitted he looked kinda funny with it on, but Percy said he looked cute, so he kept it. Every now and then Percy would reach up and twirl a strand of Nico's hair around his finger.

Bianca and Hazel were due back any moment, and Nico went back into his room to change. Percy followed behind him, sitting on his bed and helping him pick out a new shirt. He wanted to hide his wrists from his sisters, so he was trying to choose something that would hand well passed his hands. They finally agreed on a long-sleeved, black shirt with a white skull on the front. The sleeves hung down almost to the dark-haired boy's fingertips. Nico liked the fact, but Percy was frowning. He didn't like seeing Nico so distraught. And he did. Trying to hide the fact he'd done something horrible. Nico joined Percy at the bed.

"Don't look so wounded," he told the brunette. "After all, it was my mistake, not yours." But still, Percy was frowning.

"Yeah, well, it was my fault you did that, so excuse me for feeling guilty," he said. Nico gently pushed the brunette back on the bed and stretched out beside him. Now, it was his turn to smile.

"It wasn't your fault," he said. "I was the one feeling insecure." He pulled the brunette's shirt up a little and began running his fingers over his stomach and down to his hips. Percy stared at him, wide-eyed, wondering if he was going to try anything. As if sensing his thoughts, Nico slowly peeled the shirt off the brunette. He let Percy peel his own shirt off him, and Nico slid Percy's shorts down a little, exposing the black and yellow elastic band of his boxers. Percy trembled with anticipation. It wasn't a lot, just exploring each other's bodies, but it was enough. It always seemed satisfying, and it wasn't breaking any rules. After all, they never got completely naked. Stripped down to their underwear, sure, but never naked. "You have a beautiful body," Nico purred.

"I could say the same to you," Percy gasped. He didn't have any of Nico's calm demeanor. He was totally focused on the dark-haired boy's roaming fingers, traveling and teasing around the elastic of his boxers. "After all, you're the one with the perfect complexion."

"Minus these, you mean," Nico countered, holding up his wrists. "You're beautiful because you're pure and innocent. Nothing has yet touched this body, and nothing ever will. Except my nimble fingers, of course," he added with a wink. Percy could only nod. He had to hold his tongue to keep the moan threatening to escape down. "God Percy, I love you so much," Nico said, moving to leave a trail of feather light kisses down Percy's shoulder, chest, and stomach. This time, Percy did moan, low and need-filled.

"N-N-Nico," he managed to get out. "Problem. Uncomfortable." Nico ended his trail of kisses just above Percy's belly button, but at the brunette's words, he made a face.

"Again?" he asked. "You get excited too easily. It's almost no fun. Though it is fun watching you squirm." And squirm Percy did, because it was very uncomfortable with Nico pressing down on him like he was. Nico, he noticed with dismay, wasn't yet at his level of excitement. Maybe he did get excited too easily. That, or it was brought on by nervousness. Maybe even a combination of both. "Perce, I don't know what to tell you. The girls will be home soon, so you can't do it in the bathroom. And you certainly can't do it in here." Percy was beginning to get desperate for relief.

"Then let me go home," he said. "Mom won't be back for another half hour today, so I'd have the house to myself. I could take care of my little problem and be back before Bianca and Hazel got home." But Nico was shaking his head. He didn't want his precious brunette trapped at home in that uncomfortable position. What if his mom got home early? Or, God forbid, his stepdad? The poor boy would die of embarrassment if his parents caught him relieving the pressure.

"Sorry baby," he whispered. "But I can't let you go home. You have to understand why." Percy nodded. He did. He didn't like it, but he did. Then what Nico said really seemed to dawn on him.

"You called me baby," he said. Talking seemed to get his mind off his problems. "Why'd you call me baby?" Nico winced.

"Slip of the tongue," he said. "Sorry Perce." But Percy was smiling. He liked being called baby. He liked having pet names. Perce was a nice nickname, sure, but having a pet name had appeal. Every relationship, one seemed to stem. "You like being called baby, don't you?" he asked, a smile on his face. Percy nodded.

"Yeah, I do," he said. "I'm your baby." His smiled widened further. Nico's baby. He was Nico's baby. He was Nico's. He had no doubt that, now that they were dating, Nico would be faithful and loyal. Nico showed he could be.

"Yes, you are my baby," Nico said with a laugh. Percy laughed too. By now, he'd forgotten all about his little problem, and it seemed to resolve itself. Nico pulled out his cell phone and held it at arm's length. He sought Percy's lips, and when they were kissing, he took a picture. He pulled away and showed it to Percy. The brunette smiled.

"So that's what we look like when we kiss," he observed. It wasn't very photogenic, but it was pure in all ways it was, because Percy was still tentative sometimes. He could see the slight hesitation as Nico kissed him. Nico wrapped his arms around the brunette's waist.

"Yes, and it looks adorable," he said, kissing the brunette again. This time, instead of the rough and ready kisses he normally delivered, this one was soft and deliberate. He placed his hands on Percy's hips as he kissed him, feeling the slight buck of his hips as he reacted to his touch. Percy had an instant response to him, something Dustin had never displayed before. It was a wonder he and Dustin lasted the month they had. They were great as best friends, but horrible as boyfriends…

"Nico?" Percy questioned, pulling away. "What's up? You stopped kissing." Nico shook his head like he was shaking water from his hair.

"I did?" he asked. "Sorry baby, my mind got away from me again. Do you want more kisses?" Percy nodded eagerly. Nico wondered how far he could take the kiss. So far, they'd done a lot of closed-mouthed, tentative and shy kisses. As their lips met this time, Nico parted his slightly. Percy eagerly followed suit. "Mmmm, that's nice," Nico mumbled contentedly.

"Yes, really, it is." The boys sprang apart guiltily as Bianca spoke, and the oldest di Angelo girl laughed. "Although I must say, the way you boys talk to each other is adorable. Percy, you respond so well to our brother." Percy blushed and mumbled something, trying to hide underneath Nico. The dark-haired boy looked at him, amused. It was adorable, the way Percy shied away from all the attention.

"I think you girls are making him a little uncomfortable," he told them gently. He was trying to remind them that it was his time with Percy. It was, after all, Friday. And Friday was a great day to have Percy all to himself. But Bianca wasn't focused on the embarrassed brunette anymore. She was staring intently at her brother's wrists.

"What are those?" she asked, motioning to the bandages. In all the confusion, Nico forgot he had bandages on his wrists. Now, he stared dumbly down at them, trying to think of an excuse."

"He cut his wrists by accident," Percy said. "He was trying to help me move something in my room and it sliced him. We came back here to get some medicine from your mom, and I guess we just ended up staying here." Bianca squinted at her younger brother, who was looking anywhere but at her and Hazel. She didn't believe Percy's lie. Not one bit. She knew what Nico had done, but it was sweet Percy was trying to defend her brother. So she choose to accept what he told them.

"Oh, did I ever tell you guys the good news?" he asked his sisters. Bianca took the bait. Nico would talk about it with them if he choose to, and not a moment sooner. Besides, it already looked like he confided in Percy. "I asked Percy out on Wednesday night," Nico continued. "So, as of Wednesday, we're officially a couple."

"Oh my god congrats!" Hazel said, jumping up and down. Percy smiled shyly and ducked his head. He was still marveling in the fact that Nico was his boyfriend. This could be his future family.

"It's okay baby," Nico whispered. "Look up pretty please." Percy did, and he saw the smiling faces of Nico's sisters. "Let's give them a little show, huh?" he said, wrapped his arms around the brunette and softly kissing him. Percy relaxed in his grip, ignoring Nico's sisters and focusing on Nico. His lips were soft, as usual, and his hands were placed gently on his hips. Percy bucked slightly in response, twining his fingers in the dark-haired boy's hair. Nico broke the kiss long enough to moan lowly and began again. Percy parted his lips, and Nico's tongue slid in. Not forcefully, and when Percy flinched back in surprise, he stopped. He just lay there and held the brunette.

"You two are so cute together," Bianca said. "I'm glad you two are official now. It makes it seem more…real somehow. Look Hazel. Our little Nico is growing up." Nico smiled, quite pleased with himself. Then he noticed Percy's eyelids beginning to droop. He smiled softly and tugged the blanket up, tucking it around him. Percy settled down comfortably, snuggled up to the dark-haired boy. "Oh, someone's tired," Bianca whispered. "Come on Hazel, let's leave these two to their nap." She led the younger di Angelo away, and Nico gazed down fondly at his boyfriend. His baby.

"I think we should go on a date tonight," he told the sleeping brunette. "I've got some money saved. Dinner tonight in the city, kay?" Then he settled down to snag a few hours' sleep too. He wanted to be fully rested for his date.

…

And now it's so late I can barely keep my eyes open. But, I will finish this. Happy Labor Day. Here's a new chapter.


	18. Chapter 18-First Date

Woo, time for their first date! Our boys are growing up so fast, aren't they? Honestly, I have no idea what Nico has planned. He won't tell me. He says it's a complete surprise. So, I guess we all get to find out together.

…

Percy loved the idea of going out on a date with Nico, though he wanted to go home and change first. Nico readily agreed, saying he could slip on something nice while Percy was gone and get all the details worked out. He wouldn't tell Percy where he was taking him, but he did promise it would be special. He'd never properly taken someone out before, so he was just as excited as the brunette, possibly more so.

Percy slipped back into his house and immediately jumped into the shower. Even though he'd had one that morning, he'd had a nap in between. So, he wanted to smell nice. After his shower, he stood in front of the mirror, studying himself. Percy wore his hair a little longer than most, and it could become a tangled mess if he let it. Normally, he wouldn't brush it after a shower, but since he wanted to look nice, he did just that. He didn't use his comb either. He found his mother's hard-bristled brush and ran it through his hair, making it impossibly straight. Then he swept his bangs to one side. That was enough with his hair. He hadn't even picked out his clothes yet. He stood in his bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Percy, Nico's here!" his mom called, and his sea-green eyes widened. Nico was here? Right now? While he was still in his towel? He darted across the hall and slammed his door shut, shoving his desk in front of it. Nico didn't need to walk in on him dressing. Still wrapped in his towel, he went over to his closet and tapped his chin thoughtfully. What could he wear to the date? Finally, he took out a blue polo and tan slacks, an outfit he normally wore to school. But he needed his Sunday best for, well, Sunday. He slipped on his outfit and studied himself in the mirror in his room. He wished he could do something about the scar on his chin. But he didn't think wearing makeup was a very manly thing to do. He decided he looked good enough and made his way to the living room. Then he leaned against the doorframe and watched his boyfriend and his parents.

Nico was seated on the chair across from the sofa, a teacup balanced on the arm. He had his fingers resting lightly on the saucer, and he was laughing at something Percy's mom said. They both talked away happily, sometimes talking over one another. Paul had an arm around Sally, and he was actually smiling! He laughed right along with Nico at Sally's jokes, and even reached over to lightly punch the dark-haired boy's arm. Nico clutched his arm in mock pain, and that just caused them to all crack up again. Finally, Nico's gaze wandered over to the hall, and when he saw Percy, his whole face split into a huge grin and he abandoned his tea. He came over and swept the brunette into his arms, twirling him around.

"Gosh Percy, you look great," he said, just loud enough that Sally and Paul could hear. They both smiled at the boys. Sally produced a camera and made both boys pose in front of the wall, taking their picture. Nico had one arm wrapped lightly around Percy as she took the photos, and he positively glowed. Even Paul wasn't being as skittish as he normally was. Percy, in between pictures, snuck a look at Nico. The dark-haired boy had on black dress pants and a light blue, long-sleeved button down. In one hand, he held a single blue-tipped rose, but he hadn't said exactly who it was for yet. He just continued to hold it, not making any moves to give it to anyone. _Maybe he bought it for himself,_ Percy mused to himself.

"Oh, my baby's first date!" Sally gushed, taking the final round of photos. Percy smiled for the camera, actually enjoying this attention. Because he knew his mom had good intentions. No doubt she'd frame at least one photo and it would go up on the dresser… Oh, no it wouldn't. Percy's first date was with a boy. With that thought, Percy's smile vanished, replaced with sadness. Much to his horror, tears began to form. "What's wrong honey?" Sally asked, suddenly alarmed. Even Paul sat up a little straighter.

"You'll frame a photo, won't you?" he asked, dashing a hand under his eyes. "And you'll put it on your dresser like all the others?" Sally's alarm looked melted away to one of motherly love. She went over to her son and kissed his forehead.

"Of course baby," she said, shooting a look over her shoulder at her husband. But Paul was nodding without her look. Of course they would. This was their son's first date. It deserved a special place, after all. Nico decided it would be a good time to intervene. Besides, everyone loved a good aww moment. He held the rose in front of Percy.

"A rose for my baby," he said. Percy blushed and took the rose, inhaling its sweet scent. Blue was his favorite color, though he didn't remember telling Nico that. Then Nico kissed his cheek. Sally in Paul, in a surprise display of unison, awed at the same time. Percy blushed a little more. "Wanna get going?" Nico asked. "It's already seven."

"That late already?" Percy asked, shooting a look at the clock. Sure enough, seven. Wow. They'd be getting a late start on their date. "Hey mom, dad, is it okay if?"

"Just be home before midnight," Paul interrupted, stunning Percy, Nico, and Sally. "And have a good time on your date. Nico, if you hurt him, I will hunt you down, and I will kill you." Nico gulped. He liked living. He liked it very much. "Or I will just chop off your manhood," Paul added with a wicked gleam in his eyes. He certainly wouldn't be able to tell that to Percy's girlfriend. No, he found he was rather enjoying threatening his son's boyfriend.

"Dad, please, no manhood cutting," Percy whined. "Nico's still young. And I may want some later in life." At that, Paul's eyebrows promptly disappeared into his salt-and-pepper hair. Sally gave a very un-lady-like snort, trying to smother her laughter the best she could. Percy was grinning wickedly, realizing he'd caught his parents off guard. Nico looked like he was trying very hard to keep a straight-face, and was failing miserably.

"I very much didn't need to know that," Paul said, keeping his surprised look perfectly intact. But secretly, he was glad Percy was joking around with him again. So much had changed in a week. Paul's hardened heart was beginning to soften, all because of his son and his neighbor boy. He noticed Nico had taken Percy's free hand in his, slowly running his fingers over the rose petals with the other. Paul was sure he'd gotten the rose at the small flower stand the next block over, and that he'd specifically requested it blue-tipped. But Percy never told anyone his favorite color was blue, so this Nico boy must've been observant. That was good in Paul's book. It would mean that he would look out for Percy's best interests and would do just about anything to make his boy happy. "Now get going boys," Paul said gently. "Do you guys need a ride?"

"Nah, my mom's driving us over," Nico said with a small shake of his head. "After all, she won't let me borrow the car." Paul chuckled and shooed the happy couple out the door. When they were on the front walk, waiting for Nico's mom to pull the car out of the garage, Percy turned to Nico, who winked at him. "I think Paul likes me now," he said innocently. Percy shook his head.

"He's practically smitten with you!" he exclaimed. "You've seemed to wiggle your way to his good side." Nico simply shrugged. While he wanted a good relationship with his future father-in-law, it wasn't high on his list of priorities. What was high on that list was Percy's happiness, and he did seem rather pleased that his stepdad and his boyfriend were getting along. Nico had the overwhelming urge to kiss him or wrap an arm around his waist, but he knew doing that in public wouldn't be the smartest move he could make, so he batted the feelings down. Soon enough, he reminded himself. He and Percy could hold hands in the car or something.

"Are you boys ready?" Nico started when his mom spoke, but he recovered quickly. He lurched forward and swung the door open, holding it until Percy climbed in, giggling. Nico slid in after him, closing the door behind himself. They sat on opposite ends, but Nico took Percy's hand in his and rested their hands on the seat between them. Percy had his rose in the other hand, which he occasionally brought to his nose for another sniff. Maria smiled at them in the mirror. She hadn't seen Nico this happy since they'd lived in the city. "Where to Nico?" she asked. Instead of answering her, he slipped a piece of paper up to the front seat. She took it and studied what it said for a moment. "Okay," she said at last.

"Where are we going?" Percy asked, unable to contain himself any longer. He was bursting with curiosity, and just sitting around in the dark wasn't helping. But Nico was smiling at him and shaking his head.

"It's a secret," he said. "But I'm sure you'll love it." There was a spark in his eyes that hadn't been there at Percy's place. _He's enjoying himself_, Percy thought. _He's enjoying keeping me in the dark_. So there was nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the ride. And it was a good half hour drive to the city. Percy and Nico sat in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. They didn't need to speak to each other tonight. They were enjoying themselves simply as they were. Finally, they reached the outskirts of the city. Percy pressed his face to the window, taking in all the lights and traffic. He'd come into the city a handful of times, but it always took his breath away. "This is good mom," Nico said suddenly.

"Call whenever you're ready," she answered, pulling over to the curb. Nico tumbled out and waited by the door until Percy climbed out slowly behind him. He closed the door and waved his mom on as she pulled away. Percy looked around, his eyes widening. He saw so many gay couples wandering around, holding hands or leaned against the many buildings together. Some were kissing. And no one was even batting an eyelash.

"This is kind of amazing," Percy said. Nico smirked and took his hand for the first time in public. For a moment, Percy froze. Then he seemed to realize no one was actually paying attention to them. They got a few soft smiles from older gay couples, but that was about it. "No one is even paying attention to us."

"That's because no one cares," Nico said with a shrug. "This is the unofficial gay district, so no one bats an eyelash at two boys walking down the street. I do promise to feed you, but walk with me, will you?" Percy didn't object, instead following behind the dark-haired boy as they walked down the street. There was so much noise in the city! Other couples walked around them, some boy and boy, some girl and girl, and some boy and girl. There was a giant mix of everything in this neighborhood, and Percy found he kind of liked it. It was hectic in a friendly way. As they walked around exploring the shops and bars, most couples ignored them. Some smiled at them. And a few commented on what a cute couple they were. "Are you having fun?" Nico asked.

"Yeah, I am," the brunette said, looking around. "For the city, this neighborhood is kind of peaceful." Nico nodded. He'd always thought so. He'd lived in a different neighborhood, but he often frequented this one, simply because people were generally nicer to him. "I'm getting hungry," Percy added softly, and Nico felt a little guilty. He had promised to feed Percy.

"Alright, let's go," Nico said, steering Percy down a different street. A few blocks later, they reached their destination. During the day, it appeared to be a little, quaint café. But at night, it transformed into a bar/restaurant. Percy looked at the sign hanging above the door. The Café. Huh. Very original. "It's a gay bar/restaurant, and very popular," Nico explained. "I've come here a few times by myself. People were friendly enough." He led Percy inside, where they were greeted by a tall, handsome blonde waiter.

"Hello, and welcome to Café," he said. "Table or booth?" Nico turned to Percy, who shrugged. The blonde hunk took notice of the brunette for the first time. He took in the nice clothes, the rose in the quiet brunette's hand, and the way he seemed to hide behind this confident dark-haired boy. He smiled. "Booth," he decided for them. "With a window seat. Come with me, please." He led the way to the back of the restaurant, away from the bar and the tiny dance floor off to the side. "I'm Nicolas. I'll be your waiter tonight. May I get you anything to drink?"

"Water," Percy said softly, setting his rose to the side of the table. Nico smiled at him, reached across the table, and captured his hand in his own.

"Water for me as well," Nico said. Nicolas smiled and went to fetch their waters. He enjoyed seeing a young gay couple come on a date to The Café. He was only twenty himself, and these guys looked to be about five years younger than himself (in truth, they were six). He brought their waters to them, and noticed them pouring over the menu. The quiet brunette was studying the burgers while the confident dark-haired boy was looking at the pasta page. He set their waters down and let them be. While he walked away, Percy's gaze flicked to him. He certainly did look nice in his black dress pants, pink polo, and short black apron around his waist. Nico seemed to take notice of the fact, but he didn't say anything. Hell, part of the reason he'd picked this place is because he liked looking at the waiters here. "Did you find something that interests you?" he asked Percy. After all, this date was coming out of his own pocket. Granted, his mom had given him an extra twenty.

"I like cheeseburgers," Percy said shyly. He wasn't sure what he wanted, but you could never go wrong with a good cheeseburger. "And fries." Nico smiled.

"A cheeseburger and fries it is," he said as the brunette closed his menu. "Hmm, now what do I want?" He studied his menu some more, keeping one eye on Percy. The brunette had brought the rose back up to his face, and he was running his fingers over the soft petals, smiling to himself. Nicolas came back at that moment, a small bundle of multi-colored roses in one hand. He handed the bouquet to Percy.

"For the shy, sweet brunette," he said. "From you loving boyfriend." He looked at Nico and winked. The dark-haired boy smiled. He hadn't planned that part, but still, it did seem like he had. Percy took the bouquet, blushing faintly. "May I take your order?" Nicolas asked. Nico nodded while Percy studied all the flowers.

"Yes," he said. "A cheeseburger and fries for him, and fettuccine alfredo for me," he said, handing over the menus. "And thanks for the flowers," he whispered aside to the blonde waiter. Nicolas smiled. "Do you have those at the ready?" he asked quietly.

"Oh yeah," Nicolas said. "Free of charge. We have lots of bouquets like that at the ready for our more special guests. Manager got a good look at you two. He thinks you're adorable." Nico smiled. Percy was busy sniffing the flowers intently. He then took an orange one and handed it to Nico.

"Aww, thanks baby," Nico said. "Are you enjoying your roses?"

"Uh huh," Percy said, slipping his blue-tipped one into the middle of the bouquet. It was the only blue one, and Percy smiled at it. "More flowers to brighten up mom's kitchen. Or maybe she'll take a picture of them too." He set the bouquet on the table and looked around. The décor was simple and stylish. Red curtains hung from the windows, and most were currently tied back to allow the setting sun to filter into the room. The booths were red in color, and the tables were gray. Red carpet was under their feet, and the little dance floor was dark hard wood, as was the bar.

"Cheeseburger and fries," Nicolas said, returning with the food. "Fettuccine alfredo. Enjoy." He gave a little bow and backed away, letting the two younger males eat in peace. Percy cut his burger in half with a knife and began to nibble on it. Nico looked up from his pasta.

"Hey baby?" he said. Percy looked up at him, tilting his head to the side thoughtfully. "I love you." At that, Percy smiled.

"I love you too," he replied.

…

It was only ten when Nico's mom drove them back to their homes. Nico was happy the date went so well. Percy's head was slumped over his chest and his flowers were in his lap. The date really tuckered him out. He hoped not too much, because he still had to get Percy inside his house safe and sound. He was fond of living and he very much liked having his manhood intact. He held Percy's hand, massaging the back gently.

"Did you boys have a good time?" his mom asked. Nico smiled at her.

"It was wonderful," he replied. "Percy was fascinated with the gay district, and he loved The Café. It was a nice choice for a first date. Simple and fun." He smiled softly at the brunette, who mumbled something and opened his eyes, staring blankly at Nico for a second. "Speak of the devil," he said softly, leaning over and kissing Percy's cheek. "Did you enjoy our date Percy?" The fog cleared from Percy's gaze as his eyes lit up.

"Oh yeah!" he said enthusiastically. "It was so much fun! Can we do it again sometime?" Nico simply laughed. He loved seeing Percy so happy. Yep, some time away from his tiny town and all its negativity was just what he needed. "My home," Percy said softly. Nico sighed. Home again, home again. Time to once again hide who they really were. Percy seemed a little reluctant to get out of the car. "I don't want to leave you," he said, turning to Nico. The dark-haired boy smiled.

"Mamá, do you think he could spend the night?" he asked sweetly. She smiled at the two boys.

"Of course sweetie," she said. "Our door is always open, after all." Percy smiled as well. And not just because of the offer. He liked hearing Nico call his mom mamá. Percy got out of the car, promising to try and be over soon. He let himself inside the house quietly, sure his mom and dad were sleeping. But, to his surprise, they were both up.

"Oh, hello mamá, hello papá," he said. "What are you both doing up?"

"Waiting for you honey," his mom replied. "It's nice to hear you speaking Italian. Oooh, more roses. They need water." She retrieved a vase from inside the cabinet and filled it with water. She then took the roses and placed them in the vase, setting it on the table. "Nico is so thoughtful," she commented. Percy nodded.

"Yes, yes he is," he agreed. "And he invited me over. Can I go? Please? Pretty please?" He gave her a puppy dog look, and she laughed. She never could resist.

"Alright, alright," she said. "Just make sure you're at church on Sunday, alright?" He nodded, but he was barely listening anymore. He was headed down to his room to pack for his sleepover with Nico.

…

More on the sleepover next chapter. Aww, that was a nice little date. I'm glad they had so much fun. They deserve some happiness like that after what they've been through. I was originally going to have them go into New York, but then I decided that you can decide where the heck they are for yourselves. They simply call it "the city" so it leaves room for it be something other than New York. Besides, they'll _always_ in New York.


	19. Chapter 19-The Night Game

Such a fun little first date for the boys. I'm happy with it. Maybe I'm glad Nico kept it a secret from me *evil glare at him* after all. It was nice and quiet, the kind of thing Percy would really enjoy. And those roses! Also, since you guys hate it when I refer to them by hair color, I think this entire chapter will have them go by name. You'll see how boring that gets, and how repetitive it is, after the first five pages or so. You'll hate it, trust me. The only thing different is when Nico calls Percy "baby" or "Perce."

Oh, more news on the court thingy. I finished my incident report today. The deranged mother is trying to go to court with the school board now. Apparently, I'm violating the 14th amendment or something like that. But I'll tell you, if I were still in high school, her doing this would surely keep me out of school more than something stupid like that.

….

Percy sat cross-legged on Nico's bed, waiting while Nico changed the bandages on his wrists. He had his drawing pad in his lap, and he was using a pencil to draw the dimensions of Nico's room, complete with his bed and his desk. Then, for added fun, he added a miniature version of a smiling Nico, with some good results. He'd always had a knack for artwork. He wasn't sure what he wanted to be, but maybe he could put his drawing skills to good use. His little room complete, he went to sketch the tree in his front yard, complete with waving branches and a gently swaying swing.

"That's quite incredible, really." Percy jumped when Nico came back into his room. Actually, he jumped when Nico sat beside him. Nico had come in soundlessly about five minutes ago, but he hadn't wanted to ruin the Percy's concentration. "How do you draw like that?" Percy shrugged, looking at his artwork. He selected a green colored pencil and began filling in the leaves on the trees. But only the outline got a dark coloring. The middle received a faint color.

"Practice I guess," he said at last, switching to black. He shaded a few parts of the trunk, then began swirling different colors of brown together to get the look he wanted. "I've always been kinda good, but with some practice I got better." Nico laid a head on his shoulder and watched him work. In no time, Nico felt like he was staring at a photograph rather than a drawn picture. He even saw his own house in the background. He smiled warmly. Percy had a real talent. He wondered why he didn't show it off more. As far as he knew, Percy didn't have any art classes. And it seemed a shame to let such talent go to waste.

"Alright, I think that's good," Nico said when Percy began adding the wildflowers to his hand. Percy blinked in surprise. "Come on, I don't want you to sit here all night long and draw like a moody artist. Come downstairs with me." Percy followed behind Nico curiously. His curiosity grew when Nico headed into the basement. He followed behind nonetheless. They emerged into a carpeted media room. Nico smiled as he sat down on the couch they'd dragged down Monday night. Percy began exploring the new territory. Nico watched with an amused expression. _He's like a puppy_, he thought to himself as Percy looked at the small pool table. _A very cute puppy_. "Wanna play?" Nico asked, heaving himself to his feet.

"I've never played pool before," Percy said. Nico simply smiled and handed him a pool cue. He began setting things up, while Percy held his pool cue and watched with mild interest. "How do you play?" Percy asked.

"Here," Nico said, setting the rack aside. He led Percy to the other end and set the cue ball on the table. "Put your hands here and here…" He directed Percy on where to put his hands, keeping his hands over Percy's in the process. Percy turned to look at him over his shoulder, and when he caught the Nico's gaze, he winked. "Now pull your arm back and hit it, though not as hard as you possibly can." He stepped clear so Percy wouldn't accidently hit him, then watched as Percy hit the ball. The rest of the balls scattered in different directions, but not one went into a pocket. "So close," Nico said.

"It's not that hard," Percy ventured. Straight-forward shooting wasn't hard, anyway. Watching Nico, he realized how little he knew. Nico could bank it off the wall and still sink a shot. He shook his head. "You know, you're pretty good at this."

"Bianca's better," Nico replied without looking up from his shot. Another ball in. "She could do all this with her eyes closed. And she has. She loves showing off." He smiled fondly. "Man am I glad she's on my side. She's one tough cookie when she wants to be." Percy smiled. He enjoyed hearing about Nico's family. They sort of felt like his family now, too. "Speaking of…" Nico murmured. Percy looked at him for a second, but soon enough Bianca and Hazel came downstairs, still dressed in their pajamas.

"We thought we heard you down here," Bianca said. "Nico, don't kick Percy's ass too much yet. He is the guest, after all." Nico grinned and sank his last ball. Percy hadn't even gotten to hit another one yet. "Everyone's got different talents," Bianca said. "Nico seems to think his is pool, but we all know who the real queen is."

"I can be queen if I so well please," Nico shot back in mock anger. "I just let you win." Bianca turned to Percy.

"He doesn't," she said. Percy wrinkled his nose in amusement. All this happy bickering felt nice. "What else could we do, little bro?" she asked Nico. Nico straightened and leaned casually on his pool cue. No stripe balls, and no eight ball. Nico had won, all without Percy getting to try again. "Something where you boys are more evenly matched. After all, it's not fair that Percy didn't even get to try again." Percy nodded in agreement. Nico shrugged. He didn't really care one way or another. He enjoyed games of any kind, except video games, which was odd. But no one in his family really liked them. They had an x-box and a few games, but other than that, they steered clear of them. "We could turn on the back light and play catch," Bianca suggested.

"Oooh, that'll be fun!" Hazel exclaimed, clapping her hands. "We haven't played a night game in a long time." But that got Nico thinking.

"You aren't afraid of the dark, are you?" he asked Percy. Percy swallowed, but he shook his head nonetheless. In truth, the dark outside made him a little nervous. Inside, he was perfectly fine. Get him outside, with all the strange noises and the strange irregular shadows, and he got a little jumpy. But he didn't want to be left out of the fun. "Good. Kick the can, girls? Or hide and seek?"

"Kick the can!" Hazel said, jumping up and down. "We haven't played that since we visited our cousins in Minnesota!" Percy tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. Nico led the way upstairs, and Percy found himself sandwiched between his sisters. They all spilled into the kitchen. Nico grabbed an empty coffee container and filled it with water. He grunted as he lifted it out of the sink.

"The rules are simple," he said to Percy. "It's sort of like hide and seek. Everyone runs and hides, and you have to try and kick the coffee can away from whoever is guarding it. Bianca, why don't you guard first." The oldest di Angelo nodded, taking the coffee can from him. They went out to the backyard, and Bianca set it in the middle, just out of the light of the back door. "Ready, set, go!" Nico and Hazel bolted in two different directions while Percy remained frozen for a second. Bianca began counting, with her hands covering her eyes of course, and Percy bolted after Nico. "Here!" Nico called softly, from under Percy's trampoline. Percy dropped on all fours and crawled in after him, lying flat on his stomach and resting his chin on his arms.

"This is kind of fun," he whispered. "I've never played this game before." Nico grinned, his teeth flashing momentarily white in the darkness. Then he shut his mouth again.

"I don't think many people out east play it," he said. "Our cousins in Minnesota taught it to us when we visited them last summer. It's a popular game, I guess. We played until well after midnight." He smiled at the memory. The hospital he'd been at allowed him to leave for a couple weeks while they took a "family reunion vacation." They said it would be good for Nico. And it had. He enjoyed seeing his cousins and playing games like most normal boys his age would. "Look," he hissed. Hazel was sneaking around behind Bianca, using the patches of shadow provided by the sparse trees to provide her with coverings. Bianca was marching a few paces away, focusing more on the front of the house than the back of it. "Come on," he said, scrambling out of the cover of the trampoline and slipping to the side of Percy's house. Percy hurried to follow him, and Hazel caught sight of them. Apparently, even Bianca sensed someone moving around. She began marching towards them. Which was what Nico had been hoping. Hazel darted out of hiding place and sent the coffee can flying onto the deck. Nico whooped as Bianca ran after it.

"Good job bro!" Hazel said before ducking back out of sight. Nico grabbed Percy's arm and practically sprinted out front, dragging Percy's with him. Percy stumbled a few times, but he recovered fast. Percy and Nico crouched behind one of the shrubs in Percy's front yard, panting slightly with the sudden burst of speed.

"And that's pretty much how you play," Nico said with a tiny smile. "It's pretty fun." He rose to a half-standing position, watching as Bianca's shadow appeared, then disappeared, then reappeared. He counted, and when her shadow disappeared, he bolted across the open space to crouch in front of his house. Percy waited while Bianca marched to study the open spaces between the houses. Satisfied no one was there, she marched back the other way. Percy darted across, crouching beside Nico.

"I think I'm getting the hang of it," he whispered, his voice cracking from the excitement. He'd never played a night game like this before, and he was enjoying ever heart-racing moment of it. Nico put a finger to his lips and circled around his house, peering cautiously around the corner. Bianca was on the far side of the yard. Hazel was directly across from them. She motioned to Percy, standing behind Nico. He nodded. Together, he and Hazel darted from their cover, cut across the yard, and took off towards Percy's. Bianca shouted and pounded after them, calling out their names. Percy darted forward and sent the coffee can spinning into the shadows.

"Game!" Nico called, and he and Hazel slid to a stop. "It's getting late," he said, trotting back over Percy and slinging an arm over his shoulder. "That was fun!" Bianca grinned at her younger brother and his boyfriend. Both looked happy with this game. Then again, this game was all about moving without being seen, and remaining fast on your feet. Both of which Percy seemed rather well at. "Ready for bed Perce?" he asked, drawing her attention back to the two people in front of her.

"Uh huh," Percy said, stifling a yawn. Now that the excitement was wearing down, he was rather sleepy. He rubbed his eyes, then happened to glance at his kitchen window. His stepdad was watching the kids play their game, and he honestly wasn't sure how he felt about that. He waved weakly, and three other sets of eyes swung to his house. But Paul was gone as soon as he had appeared.

…

Nico really had enjoyed the game. It felt good to run around and hide from his sisters. Especially with Percy so close by. He'd felt their shoulders touch more than once under the trampoline, and he'd especially enjoyed it when Percy grabbed his hand while they were hiding in the bushes. Right now, he was waiting for Percy to come out of the bathroom. He was stretched out on his bed, his Sunday school work spread out in front of him. He felt, rather than saw, Percy slid into bed with him.

"Hey baby," he said without looking up. He had to read through a section of James, then answer some questions in a little workbook he'd been given. Percy slipped an arm around him and read the verses over his shoulder. He'd already done them, during his study hall time. And on Tuesday morning when Paul marched him up to the library before Morning Prayer. Nico snapped the little booklet shut and set it aside. He turned and wrapped his arms around Percy, pulling him close. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," Percy whispered back. Then he yawned. "And I love sleep." Nico chuckled and pulled the blankets over them. "Hey Nico?" Percy asked hesitantly.

"Mmmm?" Nico asked. He was busy fluffing his now. "What is it baby?" he asked after an extended silence. But Percy was still hesitant.

"Can you pray with me?" he finally asked softly. He hadn't prayed before he went to bed in a week, and without prayer if felt like he'd never get a good night's rest. Nico nodded and unwound his arms, clasping his hands in front of himself and bowing his head. Percy did the same and thought about what do say. "Lord, thank you for this amazing day, and this amazing family." Nico smiled at that, though Percy had no way of knowing that. "And thank you so much for my new friend. I pray you continue to bless us with warm weather and love. Amen." He rushed the last part, because he never really prayed by himself.

"Amen," Nico echoed, opening his eyes and wrapping his arms around Percy again. "Prayer doesn't need to be long, as long as the sentiment is there," he said softly to Percy. "You did great." Percy nodded. If Nico thought so, he must have. "Is something bothering you Perce?" he asked. "You've been awfully quiet since we've come in." Percy chewed his lower lip thoughtfully.

"I saw Paul watching us," he said at last. "And he didn't have a smile on his face. In fact, he was scowling." Nico frowned. That didn't sound like the Paul he'd come to know over the last couple of days. "I wonder if he'd just putting on a show for my mom, but secretly, he's still mad at me for being gay."

"He can't be mad at you for something that isn't in your control," Nico protested, holding Percy a little tighter. "Percy, I'm sure he's not mad at you. Maybe he was a little ticked because we woke him up. Didn't you say they normally fell asleep before eleven? We went outside at eleven. We could've very well woken him up."

"I hope you're right," Percy said at last. "I want to think he's on my side. But, then again, I never know." He sighed. He didn't want to dwell on it, but the more he tried not to think about it, the more he thought about it. Paul hadn't seemed disappointed. "Can we go to bed now?" Percy asked at last. He didn't want to think about it all night long.

"Alright," Nico said slowly. But he doubted he'd be falling asleep with this new piece of news bumping around his brain. Percy settled in and was soon asleep. Nico smiled. It was amazing, the speed at which Percy could drift off to sleep. He admired him for that. Then again, it was a healthy way for Percy to work out his problems. Of course, they'd always come back later, but he could still escape them for a little bit.

Nico rolled onto his back and stared his ceiling. He kept one hand on Percy, mostly so Percy wouldn't freak out if he woke up. He knew that if were Percy, he'd want some reassurance if he woke up from a nightmare. But he hadn't had any. That thought left a bitter taste in Nico's mouth, but he swallowed it down. He didn't need to be jealous of his precious baby. After all, his problems were more or less over, while Percy's were just beginning. But this news with Paul left him with a bitter feeling. What if Paul really was putting on a show? What if he really wasn't learning to accept Percy for who he was? That would destroy his baby.

Nico didn't want to stay in bed any longer, so he slipped his arm out from under Percy. He made his way into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and sat down at the table. He looked at the window above the sink, and all at once he was reminded of the time he and Percy would message back and forth with their drawing pads. Not many people did that these days. It was old fashioned, but Nico was a rather old fashioned person. He enjoyed simple things like that.

"What are you doing up?" Nico twisted around to find his mom standing at the doorway, watching him with an unreadable expression. She came and sat down across from him. "I would figure you'd be in bed with Percy," she added.

"I was," Nico replied. "But he told me just before he fell asleep that his stepdad was watching us from his window, and scowling. God, I hope he doesn't destroy things for Percy. He's finally getting a little comfortable with himself. It would be horrible if he built himself up only to be torn down again." His mom sighed. She didn't like seeing sweet Percy in pain either. She'd witnessed first-hand what his stepdad was capable of, and she didn't like it. "My theory is we woke him up, and that's what I'm going to stick with," Nico said firmly. "He's got to have hope, or he'll drown rather than float."

"And we have to keep being there for him," Maria said softly. "He needs stability more than anything in his life. He's always welcome, Nico, no matter how late or early. Or what day of the week it is."

"Thanks mamá," he said with a little sigh of relief. He'd been worried his offer to Percy wouldn't extend very far, but his mother was willing to put aside a few rules to make their special guest feel welcome. Nico took a swig of water and stared at the window a little longer. Finally, he pushed his chair back and rose. "Goodnight, mamá. Ti amo," he said.

"Ti amo, bambino," she said as he made his way back to his room. He crawled into bed and rewrapped his arms around Percy. Percy stirred a little bit, but he remained asleep. Nico closed his eyes. But, try as he might, sleep eluded him for the longest time.

…

There, a whole chapter with no hair color. I hated it.


	20. Chapter 20-Movie Night

And now, just to fuck with you all…

Oh my god I could hardly move today. My back's killing me.

…

"You still owe me a date." Nico blinked in surprise when Jason stormed into his room in mock anger. The dark-haired boy glanced curiously at Percy, but the BRUNETTE was laying on his stomach on the floor, reading. He glanced up curiously at the word date. But, sensing the blonde meant nothing by it, he went back to his book. Nico glanced at the blonde, who was seated calmly on his bed, awaiting a reply. Honestly, the dark-haired boy wasn't sure what he could say to the blonde.

"Well?" Percy finally said, breaking the silence and startling both Jason and Nico. "You promised the boy a date di Angelo. You better give him one. Jason's a guy who's used to getting his way." The blonde smirked. That much was true. It probably had to do with the fact he was the younger sibling. Percy, of course, was an only child. And Nico was the unfortunate middle child, the one neither spoiled nor neglected. The dark-haired boy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He did promise the blonde he'd go to the movies with him, and he'd better make good on that promise.

"Alright," he said at last. "But I want Percy to come with us too. It'll seem less suspicious that way." The brunette hadn't heard him, of course. He was busy reading again. "Or maybe I'll just corner you in the back of the movie theater and kiss you till you can't breathe," Nico teased. That got Percy attention.

"Like heck you will," he said without looking up. Nico laughed. His precious baby was too adorable for his own good sometimes. "I'll go, but I want popcorn." Nico turned to Jason and arched his eyebrows.

"Demanding little thing, isn't he?" the dark-haired boy commented. Jason shrugged. It seemed reasonable.

"I want popcorn too," he replied. "And since you're a good little date, you'll get us some popcorn." From the floor, Percy snickered. Jason had trapped Nico. He could very well refuse to pay for one person, but he could hardly refuse two. He seemed to sense it too, because his gaze went from Jason to Percy and back again. He mumbled something inaudible and dug a small wad of cash out of his dresser.

"Fine," he huffed. "But you guys are paying for your own ticket." Percy rolled onto his side and stared up at Nico.

"Woo, a whole two dollars," he said. "Jason, I think Nico is trying to make us go bankrupt." Jason ducked his head and gave vent to a very uncharacteristically loud snort of laughter. Nico glared at them both, but he said nothing. He was, after all, taking them both to the movies. He should be gentlemanly enough to pay for everything, but wounded pride didn't allow him to think straight. "But all kidding aside, thanks for inviting me along," the brunette added. "I would've moped at home all night if I didn't have something to do."

"Oh, I'm sure Nico would've pouted had you not come along," Jason replied. "He wouldn't really enjoy himself unless his shadow was along." Percy raised an eyebrow.

"I resent the shadow comment, no matter how accurate it is," he said. "You wound me, Jason, truly." He clutched a hand over his heart dramatically. The blonde threw back his head and laughed, shaking his head in the process. He was glad to see Percy getting back to his old, quirky self again. He knew this whole thing with his stepdad hurt worse than any razor blade ever would. "Nico, isn't it time to…" The brunette trailed off, looking at Jason. The blonde cocked his head to the side, and he noticed the way Nico pulled the sleeves of his shirt down a little farther.

"Yeah," the dark-haired boy replied. "I'll be back." He disappeared, leaving Percy and Jason to study each other. The blonde gave the brunette quizzical looks, but Percy just shook his head. He'd let Nico explain. And he was sure his boyfriend would. After all, you couldn't hide much from Jason for a long period of time. He rose from his place on the floor and sat on Nico's bed, drawing his knees up to his chest. Jason turned to study his young friend. He looked troubled.

"Something wrong Perce?" he asked softly, reaching out and gently touching the brunette's arm. Percy smiled over his arms, though it lacked its usual radiance. "You haven't seemed like yourself lately," the blonde commented. "What's wrong sweetie?" He moved to sit beside Percy, draping an arm over his friend's shoulder. "Talk to me Perce, what's bothering you." Percy sighed heavily and laid his head on Jason's shoulder. Jason glanced down in surprise. Percy never struck him as a touchy-feely person. Then again, he seemed to be getting to know his young friend better this week.

"Mmmm, now that's a cute sight." Jason looked up as Nico entered again. "Mother offered to take us, but I figured we could all walk. After all, it won't kill us." He smirked. "It's not like this town is huge anyway." Jason smirked back. That, at least, was true. The movie theater was only about a five minute walk away, ten if there was heavy traffic on Main. Percy remained straight-faced, giving no indication as to whether or not he thought Nico's comment was funny. The dark-haired boy swung his gaze to him. "Come on baby, you love that kind of thing," he said. "Is something wrong?" Mutely, Percy shook his head. He didn't want to talk about it. Nico sat on his other side, and the brunette found himself sandwiched between his best friend and his boyfriend. He closed his eyes.

"He got this way when you left," Jason said, talking like Percy wasn't even there. But the brunette turned and opened his eyes, studying him silently. "I asked what was wrong, but he won't answer me. Maybe you have some ideas?" But Nico shook his head. He wasn't sure what was bothering his baby.

"What's wrong baby?" he asked, and Percy's sea-green eyes swung to meet his dark eyes. "What's troubling you now, huh?" He poked Percy in the side as he said it, and the brunette smiled a little. "Is it about Paul?" he asked. At the mention of Percy's stepdad, Jason's head snapped up. There was a question in his eyes, but Nico subtly shook his head. He wanted Percy to say so himself before he elaborated. Then, very slowly, Percy shook his head. Instead, he reached out and seized the dark-haired boy's wrist. Nico sucked in a breath as an arch of pain shot up his arm. "Oh, that," he gritted out, reclaiming his injured wrist. "Yes, yes, I know you hate it." But Percy shook his head once again. His gaze slid to Jason, and the blonde now glanced at both of them questioningly. "Ah, you want me to tell him," Nico translated. Percy nodded, with a just a little more force than when they'd started this conversation.

"Tell me what?" Jason finally asked, unable to keep silent any longer. "As a loyal friend to both of you, I feel deeply hurt being left in the dark. Tell me what?" he repeated. Nico sighed, and Percy choose that moment to crawl into the dark-haired boy's lap and tug the sleeves of his shirt up. Nico hissed out an annoyed breath, but there wasn't a whole lot he could do now. Jason had noticed the bandages, and his usually kind blue eyes narrowed in storm-like fury. "That isn't what I think it is, right?" he said, jabbing a finger at Nico's wrists.

"I wish I could tell you otherwise," Nico replied slowly. Percy snuggled up against him, fisting his shirt. Nico looked down. "You're too cute," he told the brunette, kissing the top of his head. "Anyway, yes these are exactly what you think they are. It was after we told Percy we…you know…kissed…" He glanced down at Percy, but there was no sign he was troubled by that phrase now. His gaze just slid from Nico to Jason. "I couldn't stand it. So I…" He held up his wrists.

"Nico di Angelo, you mother fucker," Jason swore softly.

"Language, Jason." Both Nico and Jason jumped when Percy spoke. It was the first word he'd said to them since this conversation began. That was all part of his little plan. He didn't want Nico to keep secrets from Jason, especially if the blonde could relate. He'd seen the scars on Jason's wrists often enough to know that they shared a similar problem. "Talk it out boys," he said quietly.

"Right," Jason said, shaking his head like he was getting water out of his ears. "Anyway, you shouldn't do that Nico. You're the one always preaching about never cutting. Follow your own advice. Besides, what does this cutie think of it?" Nico's gaze slid down, perhaps unconsciously, to the brunette curled up on his lap. He wrapped an arm loosely around Percy's waist and used the other hand to run his fingers through Percy's hair. The brunette gave a small, contented sigh, shifting so his back was against Nico's chest. He gazed up at Jason, who was busy watching the two of them, a smile playing on his lips. "I don't think he likes it too much," Jason decided at last. "But he'll never let you know it, because Percy's sweet like that."

"Oh," was all Nico could think to say. Really, what could you say to that? "Well," Nico said at last. He was glad to change this particular subject. "It's getting to be about movie time. Whaddya say we head on over?" Jason and Percy seized the subject change eagerly. No one really wanted to talk about Nico's self-harm, anyway.

…

Percy, once again, found himself seated between his best friend and his boyfriend, in the back of the theater. Jason had his own large bucket of popcorn, and he looked pretty happy about the fact. Percy could be picky when he wanted to be, so Nico insisted that he would share with him if he wanted popcorn. Of course, the brunette could always steal popcorn from Jason as well. The blonde wouldn't complain. Actually, he'd probably be the one handing him some throughout the movie. Percy wasn't even sure what they were seeing, but for some reason both Jason and Nico found it to be appropriate enough.

"It's not like we can watch a rated R movie, right?" Nico had reasoned while they waited outside. "We can't exactly sneak in, and we don't have IDs that say we're eighteen anyway." So they'd settled on something PG 13, which Percy's mom would approve of anyway. Percy felt his arm being nudged, and when he looked down, it was just the popcorn bucket. He took a handful, if anything other than to have Nico stop pestering him. He began to eat it, watching the opening credits as they rolled by. From the next seat over, Jason sighed. The brunette shot a glance at him, but he appeared happy, so he didn't say anything else.

"I'll be back," Percy whispered to Nico, rising and moving passed him (he was sitting on the aisle). He made his way back into the lobby, and eventually into the restroom. He stood over the sink, breathing deeply and evenly for a few moments. He'd begun to feel a little claustrophobic in there, which was odd because he'd never felt that way before. Of course, before this, he'd usually go with a larger group, or his parents. And normally with at least one female. He looked at the stalls, then dismissed the idea. He didn't actually have to go. He just needed an excuse to get out of there for a moment. An eerie silence suddenly made itself known to him, and he slipped back into the theater, taking his seat just as the movie began.

"Good, you made it," Nico whispered, slipping an arm around him quickly in an awkward one arm hug. Then he took his hand away like nothing happened. Percy sighed inwardly. He missed that part about the city. The being able to walk down the street and hold hands, or even kiss. Here, they had to sneak around between their two houses. Jason must have sensed his mood change, because he set his popcorn bowl in the brunette's lap. Percy began picking popcorn out and flinging it at Jason. The blonde slouched in his seat, doing his best not to laugh. "Alright ladies, enough," Nico hissed out of the corner of his mouth.

"Yes mother!" Jason and Percy chorused softly. They turned to each other and giggled. Sometimes, it was fun to mess with Nico, just a little bit. Jason excused himself, slipping out as silent as a shadow. Percy blinked. The way Jason moved sometimes scared him. He'd be great at kick the can though. Percy set Jason's popcorn aside, because he was full for the time being. But Nico was now offering him popcorn. He gave him a pained look.

"Just do it," Nico whispered. Percy sighed and dug around the bucket, reaching for the salty and buttery treat they'd been enjoying for the last half hour. But instead of popcorn, his fingers brushed against something else, which quickly twined itself with his fingers. Nico brought their hands out and set them on the arm rest, and in the dark of the movie theater, no one would notice. Even more so since Nico's body was shielding their combined hands.

"Back," Jason whispered. As he passed by, he did take notice of Percy and Nico's hands. He smiled, but said nothing further. They needed some time to enjoy small pleasures like that.

…

"Alright, I'm starving. Let's go get ice cream!" Nico chuckled. Jason was really milking the whole movie date thing now. But he noticed the way Percy's eyes lit up at the words ice cream, so he decided to go with it. He had some money to spare, and besides, it wasn't like ice cream was expensive. Jason skipped ahead of the duo, who were walking side by side without actually touching. Percy once again noted how Nico was slightly taller than he was. He was the youngest, sure, but did he really have to be the smallest as well? Jason was in the middle with age, but he was a good couple inches taller than the brunette, and about an inch taller than Nico.

"Whatcha thinking about Perce?" Nico asked, never taking his eyes off the skipping blonde. Jason disappeared inside the ice cream shop, sitting at the window while he waited for Nico and Percy to catch up.

"About how you're taller than I am," Percy replied. Nico reached the door first, and he held it open while Percy's entered. "Thank you," the brunette said. He sat beside Jason while Nico went to get their ice cream. He wasn't sure what they we having, but he liked the fact it was a surprise. Jason was busy tearing apart a napkin, only to put it back together again like a puzzle.

"Sundae for you, sundae for you, and sundae for me," Nico said, holding a tray with three hot fudge sundaes balanced on it. Percy and Jason each took theirs, chorusing their thanks. "You know, you guys are really scary when you do that," Nico commented, sitting down and dipping his spoon into his ice cream. "But it's nice. It's almost like you're brothers."

"In a way, we are," Jason replied, swallowing a spoonful of ice cream. Percy, his mouth too full to reply, nodded. That much was true. He and Jason often called themselves brothers, if anything because they'd spent so much time together over the years. "Percy's mom called me by my middle name the other day," Jason remembered.

"Oh yeah," Percy said. "'Jason Reed Grace!' Ha. Mom so knows you by now. Hey Nico, what's your middle name?" he asked suddenly. Nico's spoon froze halfway to his mouth. Ice cream dripped back into his bowl, and he finally set the spoon down.

"Oh, I don't have one," he said. Jason rolled his eyes.

"Yeah right di Angelo," he snorted. "Spill it." He brandished his spoon threateningly, a bite of ice cream still on it. "You do have a middle name. I know you do. I asked Bianca." Nico groaned. Bianca always liked to tell his friends he did indeed have a middle name. Percy looked questioningly at the dark-haired boy. But he wasn't going to push him. And because of that, Nico decided that it would be okay to tell them. After all, Jason was his closest friend, and Percy was his boyfriend.

"Alright," he said softly. It's not like he would've needed to speak up anyway. Both Percy and Jason were studying him intently. "First off, they call me Nico, but it isn't my full name." Jason looked at him with mild surprise.

"Really now?" the blonde asked. "And what, pray tell, is your full name? Your full, full name. Middle name included." Nico glanced heavenward. God almighty above help me now, he thought. Something touched his arm, and when he looked back down, he was met with kind sea-green eyes and a reassuring smile.

"Nickolas Brynn di Angelo," Nico said. "But I hate going by Nick, so they just began calling me Nico. It stuck. As to Brynn, I'm not sure. Not very Italian, is it?"

"Neither is Hazel," Jason pointed out. "Besides, that's a nice name. Better than Jason Reed Grace."

"Or Perseus Michael Jackson," Percy chimed in. "I mean, really now. My mom has a twisted sense of humor sometimes. Michael Jackson." He shook his head in mock sadness. "Ah, well, I don't go by Perseus Michael Jackson much." Jason snickered, polishing off the rest of his ice cream in a session of rapid bites. Percy stared at him, a little wide-eyed. He still had half his sundae left, but already his appetite was getting away from him. He shoved the bowl away. Nico seemed to take the hint.

"Let's go Jay," he said, rising from his seat. Jason slid off his stool and followed behind the dark-haired boy and the brunette.

"Hey, I have an idea," the blonde said. "Tomorrow's Sunday, but if we get up early enough this should work. Do you guys wanna come to my house for a sleepover? I bet my parents would let me borrow the living room if I asked nice enough." Nico tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. To say he wasn't curious would be a lie. Because he was, in fact, curious. Curious to see where exactly Jason lived. And curious to meet his older sister. Her reputation seemed to follow her like a vapor trail. "I guess you don't have to Nickolas." Nico glared at him. "But I bet Percy will say yes."

"Oh yeah," Percy agreed immediately. "I haven't been to your house in about a month. That's a long time for us." Jason nodded, conceding the point. Nico was now in a corner. He really wanted Percy all to himself tonight, but his baby already agreed to a sleepover with the blonde.

"Alright," Nico said at last. "Sleepover at Jason's. But no more calling me Nickolas, alright?" Jason grinned.

"Deal," he agreed happily.

…

Well, wasn't that fluffy. You all know me by now. More drama to ensue in the next to chapter.


	21. Chapter 21-I Never Want to See You Again

Time for the real drama to begin. Strap yourselves in everyone. It's about to get bumpy.

For those of you that live in warm weather places, I hate you. It's so cold here. We're breaking out winter things already.

…

Jason's mom did say they could use the living room, but on the way to his house, Jason changed his mind. He knew Percy would feel more comfortable in his room, away from prying eyes. He led the duo into the back of the small house, where his room was situated. He swung the door open and Nico stepped into it first. He looked around, frowning thoughtfully. Percy plopped down on one of the two beds in the room, and Jason smiled. They'd dragged Thalia's old mattress in there five years ago, and they'd carved Percy's name into the headboard. After that, it became Percy's unofficial resting spot when he was over there.

"Ah, it feels good to be back," Percy sighed, stretching out on the bed that was unofficially assigned to him. Jason smiled at him and stripped down to his underwear, crawling into his own bed. Nico blushed at the sight of the mostly naked blonde, but Percy seemed unfazed by it all. "He always does that," Percy said with an eye roll. Nico finally let his gaze travel over Jason's body. He certainly was toned. Finally, he shook his head and sat down next to his boyfriend, wrapping an arm around his waist and bringing the brunette closer to himself. "What are you worried about?" Percy joked.

"From you? Nothing. From him?" He glanced at Jason, who grinned wickedly at him. "Nothing as well. But you're worried about me hooking up with him when he parades around in his underwear around you?" Percy grinned up at him. "Silly boy." He leaned down and his lips met Percy's. The brunette wrapped his arms around his head, deepening the kiss.

"Ahem, third party present and feeling the singles blues," Jason interrupted. Nico pulled away from Percy, reddening. He'd forgot about Jason for a moment as he kissed Percy. That was the beauty of kissing his boyfriend. Everything else melted away until it was just him and Percy, in their own little world. "Say boys, what shall we do now? And if anyone says sex, I will strangle them." Percy choked trying to smother his laughter.

"No sex," Percy agreed. "And no board games. Hey, let's go play Wii Sports Resort. I like hundred pin bowling." Jason turned to Nico, who chuckled.

"As you wish," Jason said, sitting up and bowing. "Let's go." He got up and marched into the living room. Nico turned to Percy, who shrugged. They followed behind the blonde, who was busy setting up the Wii. Nico opened his mouth, then closed it again. It seemed pointless to point out that Jason was prancing around in his underwear still. The blonde seemed to know the fact. And he also didn't seem to care. Percy wasn't even paying Jason a lick of attention. At least, not the more naked parts of him. He accepted the controller from the blonde gratefully, rising. Nico continued to sit on the couch, watching his boyfriend and his friend try to best each other in hundred pin bowling. "Oh, I win!" Jason exclaimed suddenly, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Isn't that cute," a new voice said. Three heads jerked toward the new voice, and an older looking version of Jason greeted them. Albeit his eyes were a little more gray than blue. "Hello, this is a nice surprise," he said, covering the distance between himself and Jason. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist and kissed him. "If I'd known I'd come visit you to find this, I'd would've come over a long time ago."

"Luke!" Jason exclaimed with delight. "You're here from the city? Why?" Luke shrugged and grinned.

"I just wanted to be with you," he murmured. "I missed you so much." Jason smiled up at him. Percy set his controller aside, sitting down beside Nico. The dark-haired boy wrapped his arm around him, drawing him close. They let Jason have a little privacy with Luke. After all, they didn't get to see each other much.

"They're pretty cute," Nico whispered. Percy nodded. He hadn't seen Jason that happy in quite some time. Just having Luke near was doing wonders for him. "Say Percy, I know you were excited to spend the night here, but I think we should let them be." Again, Percy nodded.

"Jay," he said gently. Jason turned to him, blinking in surprise. "I think Nico and I are going to head back to my house. We'll have to try this again, huh?" Jason nodded absent-mindedly. He was busy kissing Luke. "Come on Nico," Percy said, leading the dark haired boy outside. He glanced up when they stepped off the porch. It was a beautiful night. Clear and cool, with many stars winking on overhead. "Ah, what a night," Percy said, closing his eyes.

"I agree," Nico replied. He twined his fingers with Percy's, smiling when Percy made no move to pull his hand away. It was late, and it was dark. No one was going to see them. They walked hand in hand to Percy's house, and they paused on the front porch. Nico pushed Percy against the wall and kissed him.

…

Percy rose early that Sunday morning, stretching and starting when Nico shifted beside him. Then he smiled softly when he remembered what happened when he came home. He'd led Nico into his room, closed the door, and changed. Nico didn't have any clothes with him, so he pulled a Jason and stripped down to his boxers. Then they'd kissed for awhile, and when Percy had enough, they cuddled together until they both fell asleep. All in all, it had been a good night.

"Hey Nico," Percy whispered, rolling to face the dark-haired boy. "Time to wake up." Nico mumbled something but stayed firmly asleep. Smiling, Percy scooted closer until they were face to face. Then, he brushed his lips against Nico's. Nico blinked his dark eyes open, wrapping his arms around the brunette's waist.

"Mmmm, now that's the way to wake up," he whispered. "Good morning beautiful." Percy blushed, and Nico smiled. "Beautiful. Yeah, I like that. I like that a lot. Good morning, my beautiful boyfriend." Percy's blush deepened.

"I wish I could think of something cute to say back, but I can't," he replied, almost disappointed. "You're the one with the silver tongue." Nico laughed quietly and squeezed the brunette's middle. He had noticed that. He'd say something cute or corny, and Percy would get a little tongue-tied. But the way his boyfriend blushed made it all the cuter. "What are you staring at?" Percy asked, wrinkling his nose in amusement.

"You," Nico replied automatically, showing once again he was the smooth talker in their relationship. "Just you. I can never get enough. You're my baby." He smiled softly as Percy opened his mouth, then closed it again. He repeated the action several times, reminded Nico of a landed fish. He laughed again. "And how adorable my baby is," he said. His lips sought Percy's, and soon they were tangled in each other's arms, kissing.

"Boys." Nico and Percy sprang apart, looking at the door guilty. Well, that was Percy's case. Nico was busy smirking at him. "It's time to get ready for church," Sally reminded them. Sighing, Percy rose and began the mechanical actions that came with getting himself ready for church. He changed into black slacks and a short-sleeved white button-down. Then he loped a black tie around his neck, adjusting it. Then he picked his comb up off the dresser and ran it through his hair. While he did that, Nico got himself dressed in the clothes he wore last night. He slipped out silently and went back to his own house. When Percy turned around, he found Nico gone. He frowned. His boyfriend hadn't even said goodbye. He slowly made his way into the kitchen to have coffee with his mom. "Morning sweetie," Sally greeted. "How was the movie date with Jason?"

"Good," Percy replied absently, looking at the back door. But it didn't swing back open to reveal Nico on the other side. So he retrieved his mug and sat at the bar, fingering the rim.

"Do you…want some coffee?" Sally asked gently, holding up the pot. She'd seen Nico slip silently out the back door, but she'd assumed he'd told Percy he was leaving. Obviously not. Percy stared blankly at the coffee pot for a moment before wordlessly holding his mug out. Sally gave him some, then shoved the creamer and sugar at him. He added enough of each, then stirred it with his spoon. But then he just sat there and stared at his mug. "Is everything alright?" Sally finally asked, sitting beside her son. Percy turned to look at her.

"Nico didn't even say goodbye," he said. "I mean, I know I'll see him soon enough, but he didn't even say goodbye. He just slipped away before I finished combing my hair." Percy took a distracted sip of his coffee. Somehow, it didn't taste as sweet with Nico gone. Sally rubbed her son's shoulder, smiling sympathetically. "I'm going over to his house," Percy decided, rising. "Is it okay if I go to church with the di Angelo's again?" At his mother's nod, Percy briskly walked out the door and across the lawns. He rapped gently on Nico's back door. Bianca answered.

"Hello Percy," she said. "Come on in. Nico's just stepped out of the shower." Then, she gave him a mischievous smile. "Nico, come here please!" she called. Percy looked at her questioningly, but she held up a finger. Nico emerged at the top of the stairs, grumbling something. He had a thin blue towel wrapped around his waist, and that appeared to be the only thing he had on. Percy's sea-green eyes widening considerably.

"What do you want Bi…" He trailed off when he caught sight of Percy. "Oh, Percy, hi!" He glanced down at his towel, blushed, and raced back upstairs. Bianca roared with laughter, sitting down at their kitchen table in the process. "Oh that was gold," she said, pretending to wipe away a tear. Hazel materialized next to her, causing the brunette to jump.

"Was there a specific reason that our dear brother ran upstairs in a towel?" Hazel asked. Then she seemed to notice Percy for the first time. "Ah, that'd be why," she answered herself. "Hello Percy. It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too," Percy replied, his voice breaking with embarrassment. Now Hazel laughed along with Bianca. "And it was definitely good to see that," he added, motioning to the stairs.

"See, you can be a smooth talker too," Nico said, emerging once more at the top of the stairs. But this time, he was fully dressed. He had on an outfit very similar to Percy's, but his sleeves went down to the middle of his palm. He didn't need the church people to see the bandages he still had to have on his wrists. "Hello baby. Didn't expect you here." He went over to the brunette and wrapped his arms around him from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. Percy peered back at him, and he smiled. "Are you coming to church with us today?" he asked.

"Yeah," Percy replied. "That is, if you'll let me." But Nico was nodding before he'd even finished talking. Of course they'd let him come with them. After all, that extended to their "door was always open" policy. Percy beamed at him, just glad to be with him once again. Hazel and Bianca looked at each other, smiling. Percy didn't even flinch away from their brother anymore. He was slowly getting more comfortable with who he was.

"Come on kids," Mr. di Angelo called, peeking into the kitchen. "And Percy. Let's go."

…

The car ride there was quiet and uneventful. Hazel sat between her mom and dad again, which meant Bianca, Nico, and Percy had the back seat. This time, Percy sat in the middle, because Bianca wanted to sit by him too. Almost as soon as they were in place, Nico snatched his hand and twined their fingers together. Percy simply smiled. He'd gotten used to that whenever they travelled together. Besides, he liked it.

They pulled into the parking lot, and Percy's stomach went to his knees. Pastor Philip was standing outside the church, greeting people. That wouldn't be weird, expect that he normally stood at the bottom of the stairs inside. He pressed closer to Nico, pointing. The dark-haired boy squinted at the pastor, but then he shrugged. But Percy's reaction bothered him. This obviously wasn't normal. He let go of Percy's hand as he climbed out. Percy climbed out behind him, still staring at the pastor. Bianca rested her hand on his elbow and steered him toward the church. Pastor Philip noticed them then, and his lip curled up.

"Ah Perseus," he said, and the hair on the back of Percy's neck stood up. "Hello there. What do we have here? Bianca, Hazel…and Nico." As he swung his gaze to Nico, the dark-haired boy took a step back. Then he seemed to realize what he did and shook his head angrily. He shoved passed his sister and his boyfriend and tried to enter the church, but Pastor Philip's arm shot out and blocked the door. "Oh, I don't think so," he said.

"Pastor Philip," Percy tried, and the pastor's gaze swung back to him. "Can you let us in please. We have to prepare for the play…"

"You prepare for nothing!" Pastor Philip interrupted, and Percy snapped his jaw shut, staring wide-eyed at him. "You both…" He pointed first at Nico, then at Percy. "Are no longer welcome in this church." Percy made gagging sounds. He wasn't welcome in his church? "You're abominations," Pastor Philip continued, on a roll now. "You have fallen for Satan's temptation."

"Now just one moment," Mr. di Angelo finally interrupted. He noticed the way Percy slipped behind Nico, like he knew where this conversation was headed. Nico looked over his shoulder at him, but he didn't try anything to comfort the brunette. Anything now could very well be their undoing. "What are you talking about? They aren't abominations. They're both good Christian boys." Percy and Nico nodded dutifully. Pastor Philip chuckled.

"No gay is ever a good Christian," he replied, marching inside and shutting the door firmly behind him. Them he locked the di Angelo's and Percy out. Percy's eyes watered.

"How did he find out?" he asked softly. Nico tuned to him and began muttering in his ear. He didn't even say actual words. He wasn't sure what to say. But Nico's tone certainly helped Percy calm down. "How did he find out?" he asked again. Ellis, the pastor's wife, stuck her head out the door.

"If you don't leave now, I'm calling the cops," she warned. That was the final straw. Percy tore away from Nico and sprinted away.

"Percy!" Nico cried. "Percy, come back!" But Percy pretended not to hear him. Dammit, why did Nico have to come into his life in the first place? Nico hung back, unsure of what to do. Jason told him that Percy hated being chased after… A hand on his shoulder caused him to jump. He twisted around and found himself facing his dad.

"We'll follow him," his dad promised. "Then we'll take him back home with us. It'll all be okay." But Nico stared at the spot where Percy disappeared. Whatever happened, it would be far from okay.

…

Percy ran until his sides ached and he couldn't see straight. Then he sank to his knees on the sideway and took ragged gasps of breath. Why? Why did they have to find out? And why did he have to be this way in the first place? Things were so much simpler when Nico wasn't around.

"Percy, thank God you're okay!" Through the tears, Percy saw Nico jump out of his car and run over to him. "We've been following you for twenty minutes. Please, just get in the car. Everything's going to be okay." The promise sounded false even to his ears, but he had to believe that it would eventually be okay. God didn't give you trials to not have some triumph at the end. "Atta boy, up you come," Nico cooed, gently helping Percy to his feet. The brunette swayed uncertainly. Nico led him to the car and shoved him in. He fell against Bianca, who propped him up. "He's alright guys, just winded and emotionally hurt."

"Why?" Percy finally asked weakly. Nico turned to him, blinking in confusion. He wasn't sure what Percy meant. "Why do I have to be this way?" Percy asked miserably, running his sleeve under his eyes. The sleeve came back soaked with tears. "And it's all your fault!" Nico flinched like Percy had slapped him. "It's all you fault! Why did you have to make me this way?" Percy struggled against his seatbelt, finally slipping free. Mr. di Angelo slammed on the brakes just as Percy opened Bianca's door. He tumbled out. "I never want to see you again!" He sprinted down the street once again. Nico turned to his family, his eyes shiny with tears.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked them in a strangely subdued voice. "I didn't actually turn him gay, right?" He hung his head in defeat. Percy, the one person he cared about outside of his family, hated him now. He never wanted to see him again. "God, I fucked up," he swore softly, screwing his eyes shut. "I fucked up so bad."

"It's fine sweetie," his mom said quietly. "Just give him some time to cool down. He'll miss you before long, and he'll want your company. Right now, he's in shock. Just let him be." Nico nodded along, hoping it was true. But somehow, he didn't think it would be any time soon. The accusation in Percy's voice was all too obvious. He hated Nico. He never wanted to see him again. Nico felt like his heart was breaking all over again. But this time, there would be nothing to stitch it back together. He was alone.

…

Aww poor babies. You had to know the church was going to figure out sometime.


	22. Chapter 22-The Aftermath

Hey everyone. Apparently, I have a very short amount of time to live, so I'm going to try my best to finish this sometime before Monday. Wooo, angry fans time!

…

Percy locked himself in his room long before his parents got home from church. Then he locked his door, then shoved his desk in front of it. He didn't want to talk to his parents, his ex-boyfriend, his friends, even God. He felt so heartbroken and betrayed. After everything they'd been through, Paul told them anyway? How could he? How could he sell out his own stepson, the boy he raised like he was his own?

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" Percy shouted in frustration. "Why God? Why did you make me gay? Why did Nico come into my life? Why did he turn me gay? I'm not gay! I'm not gay!" He glanced around wildly, swinging from side to side. His posters stared back at him, and he tore the nearest one from the wall, tearing it to shreds. It was his Rufus Wainwright poster, one of the first he'd gotten. Now, he despised it, and everything Rufus stood for. "I'm not gay! I'm not gay!" If he said it enough, maybe it would magically be true again. He could go back to being the good Christian boy everyone wanted him to be. He could be the good son his mother and stepfather expected him to be.

"Percy?" His doorknob rattled, and Percy turned to look at it. "Percy, it's Jason, open up please." His doorknob rattled again. Percy slowly shook his head, though he knew the blonde couldn't see it. "Percy, Nico told me what's happening. Please, talk to me."

"I don't want to talk to you!" Percy called back. "Go away, leave me alone you faggot!" As soon as he said it he regretted it. Jason grew quiet on the other side of the door.

"Fine," he said. "I'll go. Have fun by yourself hypocrite." Percy shoved his desk aside and unlocked the door. "What? Now you want my company? You really are a hypocrite."

"Jason please, stop," Percy said, reaching out and grabbing the blonde's wrist. Jason took a sharp breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm just…upset by what happened. I never actually expected to be kicked out of church. Jay, church is the one thing I have that makes me, well, me. I don't want to stop going. I love my church." Jason's expression softened a little as Percy talked, and he led the brunette back into his room. Percy closed the door and locked it again. Jason sat on the brunette's desk. "I don't know what to do. I also don't know who told."

"My money's on Paul," Jason said. "After all, he was the one least happy with you being gay. It makes sense that he would tell the church."

"But he seemed fine with it!" Percy protested. "I sometimes had my doubts, but he really seemed fine with it. I want to believe him. He's the only father I have, and the only one I want. I don't want to have another one. I've known Paul since I was five."

"I know," Jason said. "Believe me, I know. I don't like it, but I know. I really do feel bad for you. Mom and dad more or less accept me for who I am. Your mom does, but Paul…" The brunette sighed. "Why did you tell Nico it was all his fault and that you never wanted to see him again?" the blonde asked suddenly. "You really hurt him." The brunette's expression hardened.

"Because I hate him and I never want to see him again," Percy said harshly. "And I don't care if I hurt him. He destroyed me. He destroyed my life. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be in this mess." Jason took a deep breath. He didn't want to be mad at Percy for this, but he really was being dense. It wasn't Nico's fault, any more than it was Percy's fault. After all, Nico had only been trying to help. "Jason, I will never forgive him for this. And I will never forgive myself. I hate myself. I hate who I am. I don't want to be gay anymore. Can I not be gay?"

"Percy, if you're gay, you're gay. You can't help it any more than I can. You're born that way. And there isn't a damn thing to do about it!" Jason slammed his hand down on the desk, causing the brunette to jump. "Damn you Percy, quit being so dense! It isn't Nico's fault! What do you think this is doing to Nico? You say this is destroying you, but this will definitely destroy him. He might cut again, and I know you don't want that." Percy hung his head. True enough. He didn't want Nico to destroy himself."

…

Nico hung his head over the sink, watching his tears drip into the bloody water. He gazed down at his wrists, now sporting five new shallow cuts, but because of where they were placed, they bled profusely. He wiped away a little of the blood, but more welled from the cuts. He sighed. He'd have a hard time explaining this to his family. Then he bandaged his wrists again. Immediately, they soaked with blood.

"Nico," his mom called, pounding on the door. "Nico sweetie, are you alright?" Nico sucked in a breath. He couldn't face her right now. "Nico, open this door right now."

"I'm fine mom!" Nico called back hurriedly. "I just got out of the shower." Nico began mopping up the blood with a towel. He wouldn't let anyone see the blood. "I'll be out in a moment." He threw the towel into the hamper and closed his eyes, leaning against the wall. God, why did this all have to be so difficult? He could live with Percy blaming him for this (after all, he was partly to fault), but he couldn't live with the fact that Percy didn't want to see him again. He sank down to the floor and buried his head in his hands. Percy was his everything. Without Percy, what did he have to live for?

"I don't have much," Nico whispered to himself. "I have my family. And I do love them. But Percy is everything to me. He's the reason I'm living in this town. If he goes away, there's nothing for me here." He rose and faced his reflection in the mirror. "But, I did promise Percy I would stop. I've already broken that promise. Why would I risk it now? After all, forever doesn't usually last forever, right?" That said, he changed his now sodden bandages and cleaned the sink. There was no way he'd let himself sink that low. After all, he had to be strong for his Percy.

Nico emerged slowly from the bathroom, then made a beeline for his room. He slammed the door shut and heaved a huge sigh of relief. No one had caught him before he'd gotten to his room. He didn't want to have to explain himself to his parents or, god forbid, his sisters. He would never be able to face them again if they caught him. He sank down onto his bed and buried his head in his hands once again. Why did this all have to be so hard? Couldn't Percy understand it wasn't his fault? And it wasn't the brunette's own fault either. He was gay, and there was nothing wrong with that.

"Nico, you have a visitor!" his mom called. Nico gulped, but he didn't dare comment. "I'll send him up," his mom decided. Nico sighed again. He didn't want company. But when that shock of blonde hair came through, he groaned.

"Jason," he said, facing away from him. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Luke?" The blonde snorted. Luke had gone home before church, and Jason was going to go to New Hope. But at the last minute, he decided not to go. That might've ended up being a good thing. "Go away Jason, I don't want to talk right now."

"Funny, Percy said the same thing," Jason commented, and Nico jerked up.

"You saw Percy?" he asked. "What did he say? Is he okay? Did he cry?"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Jason said, holding up his hands. "One question at a time. Yes, I did go to see Percy. No, he's not alright. He's far from alright. No, he wasn't crying, but he did yell at me to go away and called me a faggot." Nico's eyes widened. Percy had actually called the blonde that? "So I called him a hypocrite and went to leave, but he let me inside his room. He's locked himself in." Nico hung his head. "Nico, whatever you think, it isn't your fault."

"What if he's right though?" Nico asked quietly. "If I wouldn't have come here, he wouldn't be facing any of this. He would still be the Percy Jackson everyone wants him to be." Jason reached out and took Nico's chin in his hand, forcing the dark-haired boy to look at him. Nico did, and he saw fury there.

"It is not your fault," he said fiercely. "He would be miserable otherwise. Believe me, he's better off experiencing everything now rather than later in life when he believes he's already had everything figured out. Or still ignoring who he really is. Ultimately, he's better off knowing you now." The dark-haired boy managed to slip out of the blonde's grasp. He pulled away, ducking his head. "Nico? Is something wrong?"

"No, no," Nico replied hurriedly. "Nothing's wrong. Nothing's wrong." But he couldn't meet the blonde's gaze. Jason cocked his head to the side and studied the dark-haired boy.

"Nico, look me in the eye and tell me that nothing happened. Tell me that right now." He looked the dark-haired boy in the eyes, but Nico dropped his gaze. "Nico, what the hell did you do?" He reached out and grabbed his wrists. Nico gasped and took his wrists back, tucking them under his arms and looking down. "Nico?"

"God Jason, fine, but you can't tell anyone," Nico hissed, yanking his sleeves up. Jason's eyes widened. "I know, I know. I suck at sticking to my own goal. But God, Jason, you should've seen his face when he told me it was my fault. The accusation was written all over him. It's awful, thinking you destroyed someone's life."

"But he'll destroy yours," the blonde protested. "You may have made his life complicated, but he may very well end yours." Nico frowned thoughtfully. Did Jason know what he'd been saying in the bathroom? "Nico, I feel like he's in the wrong here. We all pay attention to how Percy's feeling, and that's fine, but you're hurt by this too. In fact, I think you are more than Percy ever will be." Nico glanced away and bit his lower lip to keep from screaming. Jason was right, of course. But he wasn't willing to admit that. He felt horrible for making Percy's life so great one moment and so miserable the next.

…

Percy missed Nico already. He really missed him. He missed the way he'd laugh, even when he was feeling down. Or how he'd softly kiss him and hold him until all the pain went away. Sighing, he flipped onto his back, staring around his once again bare room. He'd torn down all the posters. Some he ripped up, while others he stored in his closet. He had no heart to rip up Niall, because he really did like his hair color and his eyes. He closed his eyes and sighed again.

"Percy, please come out," his mom called softly. It wasn't the first time she'd tried to get him to come out of his room. But he'd locked her out, and he had no intention of coming out. He paused the show on his TV and stared mutely at his door. "Sweetie, I'm so sorry that you got kicked out of church, but it wasn't Paul's fault."

"Like I believe that," Percy muttered, playing his show again. He was trying to get through Arrow (which is a show Nico showed him in the first place), but he couldn't get through it without his enthusiastic TV watching buddy. And Jason didn't want to stick around long after he came over, so Percy was by himself. He heard his mother padding down the hall again, soft in her slippers. He paused his show once again, getting up and moving to his desk. He spread his journal out, grabbed a pencil, and began to write.

_Mom got me this stupid thing a long time ago, and before now, I've never written in it. I've never had to. My life's been pretty good until I met Nico di Angelo. Then my life turned upside down. And I'm not sure if it's for better or for worse. Because, honestly, there are days when it's good and there are days when it's bad. We had a really good one Friday night. Nico took me out to dinner in the city. We walked and then ate and then I slept at his house. It was kinda nice._

_ My church found out I'm gay (and honestly, I'm not sure if I am anymore), and I got kicked out of church by Pastor Philip. I thought he really liked me, and not in that way. I've been going to that church since I was Leo's age, and being kicked out is the worst thing that's ever happen. Even worse than Paul walking in on Nico and I kissing half naked. Thinking back on that now, it felt nice to lay in bed with him. He had gentle fingers…_

Percy sat back in his seat, staring at his open journal. He couldn't write anymore, or he'd start to like Nico again. But he hated his next door neighbor, simply because he turned Percy's world upside down. Percy shoved away from his desk and retrieved his drawing pad. He threw himself onto his bed and flipped open the drawing pad. But he paused when he got to the page that said he loved Nico. He ran his fingers over the writing, looking at his scrawling cursive.

"Do I love you?" he asked the drawing pad. "Do I love you?" He paused for a moment, then sighed. "Yes, I do. I do love you. If there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that I still love you. I just can't stand you right now. Heh, how contradictory." He scrubbed his face with his hands. "Why does this all have to be so hard? After all, nothing was ever this complicated when it was just me."

_But what's the fun in that_, his brain argued. _You like it, whether you want to admit it or not. Besides, you like having someone that makes you feel special._

_Shut up brain_, he thought with a sigh. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, staring at the door. Slowly, he rose and walked to it, holding the doorknob in his hand. Then, just as slowly, he turned it. He emerged into the hall and shuffled to the kitchen, keeping his head down as he did so. He paused at the doorway, taking a few deep breaths.

"Percy!" He glanced up and soon found himself in a crushing hug from his mother. "Oh, it's good to see you out and about sweetie!" Percy gasped for breath, but he couldn't help the tiny smile from erupting on his face. "Paul?" Sally asked, and Percy finally peered over her shoulder at his stepfather.

"How could you?" he asked quietly. Paul did a very good job of looking taken aback, but Percy knew better. "How could you tell them?" he asked, his face growing hotter as he spoke. "How could you do it? Why would you destroy the life of the boy you raised as your own son?" Finally, Paul held up his hands.

"Woah, Perce, calm down," he said. "I honestly don't know what you're talking about." He thought about it for a second, then he seemed to realize. And his eyes actually welled with tears. Now it was Percy's turn to look taken aback. "Oh, you mean at church. Percy, I have no idea how that happened, but I swear, I didn't tell anyone about you. I think the less people know, the better." Percy frowned.

"It had to be you," he insisted, with a little less heat than before. "Who else could've told them? They knew by the time I got there, and I arrived with the di Angelos. They couldn't have said anything. And I doubt mom would say anything. Right mom?" Sally nodded, though she looked uneasy. Percy brushed it off. She was probably that way because Percy had, in fact, gotten kicked out of the church, and then got threatened by Ellis. It had been an emotional day. Paul rose from his place at the table and came over to Percy. The brunette shrank back, but Paul simply smiled sadly at him. He rested his hands on the brunette's shoulders.

"Percy, I swear to God above, I did not tell a single soul about you. I know what it would do, what it is doing. I may not have liked it at first, but you're my son. I don't want that for you any more than your mother does." Percy still had his doubts, but Paul didn't swear "to God above" lightly. Normally, if he said it, he was as serious as it got. "I see you're still doubtful," Paul said with a tiny sigh. "Believe what you will I suppose. But I didn't do it." He leaned forward and kissed Percy's forehead. Percy looked up at him with an unreadable expression. Paul hadn't done that in a long time, and he wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Mom?" he asked instead, looking at her. "Did he tell anyone?" Paul looked at his wife, wondering what she would say. Maybe she'd agree with Percy. After all, Paul had gone off shortly after they got there. It seemed logical that they would discuss different things. Sally closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "Mom?" Percy asked again. "What it is?"

"It wasn't your father," she said softly. "He had nothing to do with it Percy. Paul loves you and wouldn't do anything to hurt you now. I think he sees that being gay, well, it isn't as bad as it seems." Percy turned to look at Paul, who winked at him.

"Then," Percy replied, a little confused. "How did the church find out? I certainly wouldn't have told them."

"It was me," Sally said simply.

…

Stopping point! Who saw that coming? Probably none of you. This chapter slowly got better as it went. I don't do whole chapters of mopey boys.


	23. Announcements

Alright, just telling you all, I only have a week left in my whole "read the Ranger's Apprentice series in six weeks thing" so I might not update in the next week or so. It honestly depends on how fast I can get through the last two books. But I really want to do this, because at the end of Saturday, I have to stop, no matter where I am, and I don't want to stop in the middle of it all. So, you may not see any story updates in that time.

Oh, while I have you all, I was thinking of taking one of the Nicercy Summer Contest ideas, changing the names, and trying to write it to be my first book. I really want to try and work on that (even though I haven't started college yet). What would you all think? It would still be a boy/boy pairing (because I can't write about anything else). Would you all read it if it came out? Don't worry, I'd let you know ahead of time. I would also inform you which idea is getting turned into a book (if I can accomplish it).

So, that's about all for the announcements. I thank you all for being so patient, and if you want to hear Sally's story, you'll have to wait until next chapter. But don't fret, it's not as it seems. Believe me, I've had this planned out for a week. I just had to work up to it. Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week, and I'll see you Saturday if not sooner. Love you all!


	24. Help!

Okay, you guys are full of bright ideas. Help! So, I've started my little novel, and I've got the name Easton locked away as the main character. His friend, and later partner, I can't think of. Nothing seems to complement the name Easton, aside from Weston (and there's no way I'm using two cardinal direction names in my story). So, I am stuck. What do you guys think?

Also, no one say Weston, Southton, Northton, Preston, or anything ending in ton. Those have all been covered.


	25. Chapter 23-There's Hope Yet

Heeeeeey! I'm back! Aren't you all excited about that? Yeah, you are. You're probably all ready to freak out now, or tear Sally Jackson to shreds. Woo, just another day on here. Sally's story and mending time.

Oooooh, story news! I've picked the second name. Thanks to everyone who sent in names. I did look at them, but nothing really spoke to me. Finally, I just looked up some names, and Parker popped out at me. So it'll be Easton and Park, or East and Park for short. Heh, East Park. Oh, on that note, PJLover1551, you're story suggestion is getting converted for publishing! Excitement. Well, one of them.

…

"…What?" Percy actually took a step back when Sally said she told the church. His own mother? The one who was supportive from the very beginning? He couldn't quite believe that. But even Paul was looking surprised, and he couldn't ignore that. It took a lot to surprise Paul these days. Sally buried her face in her hands, her shoulder's shaking. "Ah, mom…" Percy said with a sigh. He didn't like to see his mother cry.

"It was an accident," she said. "I sweat, I would never tell someone on purpose." Then her eyes widened. "Percy, that isn't what I meant." He waved her on. He'd worry about technicalities later. "I was just talking with Mrs. Valdez. At first, we were talking about Leo, and I made a joke about he'll be dating before she knows it. She said she hoped not, he was still her little baby. I told her you went out with Nico, how nice you both looked. I didn't catch my mistake until after I said it. Then I wished I could take it back." Percy pursed his lips.

"Are you sure that's how it happened?" he asked. At his mother's distraught look, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Alright mom, I believe you. Besides, you'd never do anything to intentionally hurt me." That at least was true. In all his life, Sally never once did anything to intentionally hurt him. "I just wish I hadn't been kicked out. How did that come about anyway? I thought Pastor Philip didn't believe in kicking anyone out of church."

"Um, that would be my fault," Paul said, raising his hand. Sally and Percy turned to look at him, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "We sort of had a meeting about it a couple weeks ago. The adults, the ones that were present at the meeting, agreed that if one of us happened to be gay, we'd kick them out. I never once believed that it would be my own son."

"How very un-Christian," Percy muttered. He'd never once heard of a church kicking someone out due to their sexual preferences. "Well, like it or not, I'm gay, and there's not a lot they can do about it." So much for he might not be gay anymore. He just kept digging a bigger hole for himself. "Oh, you might as well know, Jason's gay too." He hated outing his friend, but they deserved to know the truth. Between his house and Nico's house, there wasn't going to be a lot of safe places for them now. Paul and Sally exchanged looks.

"Yeah, that much we guessed," Sally replied. Percy's eyebrow rose, but he didn't say anything. He should've known. Not much got by his mom without her noticing. "But he's still welcome back any time."

"Well, that's at least good news, because I doubt I'll be going far in the next few days," he said, going into the living room and throwing himself into the chair. "No where's safe now that everyone knows."

"Maybe New Hope will keep this to themselves," Paul tried. "After all, no one wants bad publicity."

"Ah, but bad publicity is publicity anyway," Percy responded. "And a church as small as New Hope would jump at the chance to have some publicity. I wouldn't be surprised if they got on the news or stuck this story in the newspaper." He sighed. He was going to feel like a trapped animal before too long. His life would be on display, he could feel it. "Thanks for the support," he added. "Can Nico come over?"

"Of course," Sally replied. "Do you want me to go get him?" The brunette shook his head and rose from his place on the chair. He felt obligated to go get his boyfriend. After all, he was the one that yelled at him. Percy let himself out the back door and quickly crossed the yards to Nico's back door. He rapped on the glass and waited for someone to answer.

"Percy?" The brunette looked up to find Hazel standing in front of him. "Come in, I guess. Nico's in his room." She stepped aside, and Percy went to step passed her. But she grabbed his wrist and stopped him. "Did you really mean what you said?" she asked. "That it was Nico's fault you're gay and you never want to see him again?" Percy sighed.

"Of course not," he replied. "I love your brother very much. I was just shocked and hurt, and I said some things I shouldn't have. I'm going to apologize to him. I don't need him destroying himself thinking he destroyed my life." A knowing look passed between them, and she let go of his wrist. He marched down to the dark-haired boy's room, throwing the door open. It banged against the wall, startling Nico. He bolted upright in surprise, then stared blankly at the brunette. Percy didn't say anything, just sat down on his bed with him. Nico wrapped his arms around him and they both laid back.

"You came over," Nico said in a daze. Percy forced out a chuckle. He could feel the new bandages through the dark-haired boy's shirt, but he didn't say anything. Just that fact spoke volumes about how Nico was feeling. _I drove him to that_, he thought. _If I hadn't said those things... What if I was too late? What if he'd finally had enough…_ With that happy thought, he buried his face in Nico's shirt.

"I'm so sorry," he said, his voice muffled by the stiff material of Nico's dress shirt. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I was just shocked and hurt. I've been going to that church for years. But it isn't your fault. You didn't turn me gay. I was just…born this way."

"I know that," Nico replied softly, holding Percy a little tighter. Percy felt like his broken pieces were being put together again. "I'll admit, it _hurt_ when you said those things. I've never felt that kind of pain before. I could live with you blaming me, but the thought of never seeing you again…" He let the thought trail off, shuddering at what he almost did. He would've been so stupid, just ending it all.

"I was such a…" Percy trailed off. He wasn't sure what word he'd use. He knew his mother and father would definitely not approve though. Nico chuckled.

"You were being a human being," he said, kissing the top of the brunette's head. "It's normal to try and find someone to blame when things go awry. It's pretty much human nature." Percy sighed. How did he get to so lucky, to find a boyfriend like Nico di Angelo?

"You really are too good to be true," the brunette responded. "Oh, I found out how the church knew." He finally looked up to Nico's face, and he wanted to weep all over again. But this time, from happiness. Because, looking back at him, was so much relief and love. Love. Just for him. He cleared his throat a couple times, and the ghost of a smile touched Nico's features. "My mom accidently let it slip while she was talking with Leo's mom. It was an accident. She didn't mean it." Nico gazed up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"All this fuss over a simple remark," he muttered. "All this heartache for one little slip up." He sighed. "Do you ever question humanity Percy?" The brunette looked up, momentarily confused. "How could human beings turn on two of their own? How could they have so little regard for their thoughts and feelings? Why would they built them up, only to tear them back down?" Percy's eyes got wider with every question. He'd never really given it any thought before. Then again, this was his first time going against the status quo. He didn't really have a lot to go off of.

"I've never given it much thought," Percy replied at last, frowning thoughtfully. Nico did have a point. How could people spend their whole lives building up the youth, only to tear them down if they didn't fit in the guidelines? It made absolutely no sense. Nico grabbed ahold of the brunette's chin and tilted it up, forcing Percy to face him.

"Don't dwell on it, alright?" he said. "Just forget I said anything. I don't need you eating yourself inside out because of a few negative thoughts. Believe me, I'm doing that enough for both of us." Percy looked, really looked, at Nico. His eyes were red-rimmed from crying still, and he didn't appear to be doing any better.

"We all notice my pain," Percy whispered. "But we never notice yours. Why don't you say something? If you're hurting, I can help." Nico gave him a pained look. Did he really have to point that out?

"You don't need any unstable people in your life right now Percy," he said, a little huffily. "After all, you're only just beginning to figure yourself out. You don't need people that still doubt themselves…" He clamped his jaw shut, but the damage had been done. Percy looked at him curiously.

"Do you still doubt yourself?" he asked the dark-haired boy. "You don't seem like it." Nico sighed, his grip tightening once again. The brunette gasped at the extra pressure, but he sensed Nico's need to squeeze something, so he let him keep his tight hold on him without complaint. _Nico would do the same for him_, he reminded himself.

"It's not that," Nico said at last. "I just sometimes wonder if being gay really isn't a choice. Can I choose to be straight? I'd much rather be straight than deal with everything I've dealt with." Percy opened his mouth to say something, but Nico held a finger to his lips. "Let me finish will you?" he joked, a small smile playing on his lips. "Then there are days I'm so thankful I'm gay."

"Really?" Percy blurted before he could stop himself. "Why's that?" Nico threw back his head and laughed.

"Because I met you," he said, serious once again. "And I definitely couldn't kiss you, or date you, if I was straight. I wouldn't want to. But since I'm gay, I do." He gave the brunette a lopsided smile. "And believe me when I tell you this Percy, I am so glad I met you. I've never loved anyone else the way I love you." Percy's throat closed and he couldn't speak. Tears formed in his eyes. No one had ever said such tender words to him.

He was glad for the silence though. Because he enjoyed the feeling of Nico holding him tight, his head tucked under the dark-haired boy's chin. Nico, for his part, was marveling at the fact that he'd actually poured his heart out to this boy. And the silence said more than words ever could.

…

Percy was going to stay the night at Nico's house before they had to endure the torture that was school, and for that he was thankful. He wanted that last bit of alone time he was going to have if word got out. He wanted to enjoy his freedom and privacy for as long as possible.

For a good hour after Nico poured his heart out to Percy, they both laid there in silence, just enjoying each other's company and the feel of each other's lips. They kissed more in that hour than they had in the two weeks they'd known each other. And it felt fantastic.

"More lasagna Percy?" Mr. di Angelo asked, holding out the half-empty pan off the delicious pasta dish. Percy shook his head, patting his full middle. Between the lasagna and the side salad and the breadsticks, Percy was just about stuffed full.

"No thank you," he declined politely. "But everything was delicious." Mr. di Angelo smiled and set the pan down. Nico got up and helped himself to another square.

"Don't forget dessert dad," he said as he sat back down. Percy turned to his boyfriend in amazement. They could eat all this stuff. Percy felt full enough already. How was he going to stomach dessert?

"That's right," Mr. di Angelo said, going to the counter and removing foil off the top of another pan. "Lemon squares for everyone." He used a spatula to dish out lemon squares to everyone at the table. There was a general chorus of thank yous, and Percy stared at his dessert in dismay. It was such a small thing. It shouldn't have been that difficult.

"Methinks Percy's a little full," Bianca said, taking the lemon square off his plate. "I'll take it." Percy looked at her, not sure if he was grateful or not. She did make it easier to say no. "Percy, do you want to watch a movie? It's family movie night."

"Actually, I was thinking of kidnapping him and going downstairs to do something," Nico replied, swallowing his bite of salad and lasagna. "Whaddya say Perce?"

"Nico," the brunette replied automatically. Not only was Nico his boyfriend, he felt obligated to cheer him up after what happened. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, we have an x-box downstairs. Wanna go play a game?" Percy frowned. It wasn't that he didn't like video games, he just never played them much. He didn't own a gaming system. "It'll be fun, I promise," he said. Percy shrugged. He'd be willing to take his boyfriend's lead on this one. "Come on," Nico said, shoving his chair back and standing. Percy scrambled to follow him. Nico looked over his shoulder, then disappeared down the stairs to the basement. Percy followed at a slower pace, sitting down on the couch when they got there.

"What are we going to play?" he asked the dark-haired boy. But Nico shook his head.

"I just told them that so they wouldn't ask why I wanted you all to myself," he replied. "But I just want to enjoy you while I have you. Pretty soon, our lives will be on display." Percy sighed.

"I really hope not," he replied. "After all, we're human beings. We have privacy too." Nico nodded along, pulling Percy down until he was laying down on top of him. He began to play with Percy's hair, twirling it around on his fingers, then releasing it. Percy sighed contentedly. "That feels nice."

"Glad you like it," Nico said with a little smile. He felt much happier now that Percy was in his arms. He always felt happier when Percy was near. He buried his nose in the brunette's hair, sniffing. Percy's hair smelled good. Like his shampoo. "God Percy, is it possible to miss someone when you haven't seen them in a few hours?"

"Yes," Percy said. "Because I missed you while we were apart, even though I was the one that said I didn't want to see you." He laughed softly, but he wasn't sure if it had any real humor in it. After all, he still felt horribly guilty for what he'd said. And for the very simple fact that he could've pushed Nico over the edge.

"I'm glad you missed me," Nico said, capturing his attention again. "And I love you so much." He kissed him softly. "I mean it Percy. I love you."

"I love you too," Percy whispered. "I'm glad I came over. I missed you so much. If we ever fight like that again…" He let that thought trail off. He didn't want to think about what would happen if they fought like that again. "About humanity," he began tentatively. "I've been thinking about it."

"I told you not to do that," Nico scolded gently. At Percy's crestfallen look, he sighed. "Alright, what have you been thinking about?" he asked.

"It isn't all of humanity," Percy answered. "It's really just our town. You saw how people treated us in the city. They were nice. They accepted us without question. So, I think there's hope for humanity yet. We just need to show them that some things can be good."

"Quite the brain you have in there," Nico replied, tapping the brunette's forehead. Percy giggled, and Nico smiled. It was good to see Percy so happy again.

…

Nico groaned and opened his eyes. He must have fallen asleep downstairs again. He tried to sit up, but something had him pinned to the couch. For a moment, he panicked. Why was he pinned to the couch? Then he remembered; Percy was spending the night. No doubt he fell asleep on top of him. Sure enough, Percy mumbled something in his sleep and shifted positions.

"Nico?" he asked groggily. "Where are we? What time is it?" The dark-haired boy felt a little guilty for waking him up. After all, it was late. And a school night.

"Shh, it's okay Perce," he replied. "We're in the basement. I don't know the time, but I can find out." He fumbled in his pocket for his phone, and both he and Percy groaned when the sudden light hit their eyes. "It's one in the morning," he said, putting it back and plunging the room into darkness once more. "Go back to bed Percy."

"I'm up now," the brunette complained. "Do you wanna do something? I don't really want to go back to sleep now." Nico chuckled. He did enjoy Percy's enthusiasm sometimes, but tonight, he felt like he should put his foot down. Just a little.

"We can go up to my room," he replied. "But we need sleep. It's a school night." Percy groaned and plunked his head back on Nico's chest. "Hey, no pouting," Nico scolding, chuckling. He shook the brunette's shoulder. "Percy, I would like to sleep in my own bed," he said.

"I don't wanna," Percy whined jokingly. "Can't we just stay here? It's nice and quiet." Nico laughed again. Leave it to Percy to think of peace and quiet.

"Sure," he replied, wrapping his arms around him again and holding him close. "Because we certainly won't have any of that starting later today. Goodnight Percy. Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams Nico. Love you."

"Love you too Percy. Now go to sleep."

And Percy didn't have anything to say to that.


	26. Chapter 24-Back to School

No, I will not stop writing PJO fanfics. I just have to work on my own novel every now and then. Writing that and a fanfic at the same time is stressful, but I'll make it work. I bet you're all anxious for an update, aren't you?

…

"Percy, wake up." Percy groaned and flipped over onto his stomach. Normally, waking up to Nico whispering in his ear would make him really happy, but he knew what was coming. School. It was the Monday after he'd been kicked out of church. He really hoped word had gotten out yet. He'd rather avoid everything at school. "Percy, I know you don't want to go, but we have to face this," Nico whispered to him. The brunette finally sat up, rubbing his eyes. "That's the spirit," Nico said with a tiny smile. He was already dressed for the day.

"I don't want to go Nico," he whispered. "I don't think I'd be able to take it if anyone…" Nico cut the brunette off with a kiss. Percy promptly shut up, melting into his kiss.

"That's better," the dark-haired boy said when he pulled away. "Percy, whatever happens, God isn't mad at you. Remember that please." Percy looked down at his hands. He wasn't so sure, but he needed something to believe in. And Nico provided that. Even if Percy couldn't fully believe his faith anymore, he could believe Nico. "Are you going to get dressed?" Nico asked. Percy started.

"Yeah," he said, rising. He got dressed quickly, slipping on long sleeves at the last minute. He wasn't sure why, but they made him feel safe and secure. Like he wouldn't be hurt as much if he had them on. He slung his backpack over his shoulders and ran a comb through his hair. "Nico, I really don't want to go to school today. Do we have to?"

"Percy, we can't run from our problems," the dark-haired boy replied, coming over to him. "If we run, they'll just follow us. And possibly get bigger in the process. It'll be okay, you'll see." Nico went down the stairs to the kitchen, leaving Percy in his room. The brunette swallowed hard. He didn't want to face his problems today, even if he knew the dark-haired boy was right. He just…he had a really bad feeling about today. Something bad was going to happen. He just knew it. He followed Nico down the stairs at last, emerging into the kitchen. Nico was sitting on the counter, sipping on a glass of orange juice. Hazel and Bianca were sitting at the table eating cereal and Nico's mother was hovering near the sink, doing dishes. Nico's father had already left for work. It seemed so casual, so normal. It was a great mask for the terrible beast lurking underneath.

"Percy sweetie," Maria said when she saw him. "It's good to see you sweetie. Did you sleep well?" More normalness to this day. Percy was going to have a complex by the end of this. He went over to stand by Nico, who wrapped one arm around his shoulders and squeezed. The brunette was happy for the extra support. Today was going to be a tough day indeed.

"I'm good Mamá di Angelo," he replied, remembering a conversation he'd had with her the other night. That's what she wanted him to call her from now on. Probably because he was going to be around for a long time, if Nico had any say in it. "I guess I did. Your son held me the whole night, so I really can't complain." Nico turned a nice, healthy shade of pink.

"Now Percy," he chided. "I don't think mamá needs to hear any of that. But I'm glad you enjoyed it," he added in an undertone. "Maybe tonight at your place?" Percy nodded. If they made it through today, he wanted lots of cuddles to help him forget about it. "Don't worry," Nico whispered, giving him another squeeze. He seemed to know exactly what the brunette was thinking. "Today will be a piece of cake compared to yesterday. I'll be there for you Percy, I promise."

"Thank you Nico," he responded, feeling a lump in his throat. He hoped today would go a lot better than yesterday. But he couldn't shake the feeling something major was about to happen. He'd had that feeling before, but today felt like the day. "Can we go please?" he asked, looking up at his boyfriend (good friend?). "I want to get to school before everyone else." Nico dumped the rest of his orange juice down the sink and slid off the counter.

"Of course," he answered. He already had his backpack on his shoulders, because he figured Percy would be antsy to get going. He took the brunette's hand in his. "Bye mamá, have a nice day," Nico called over his shoulder as he led the brunette outside. Percy tried to take his hand back, but Nico shook his head. "What's it really going to hurt if we walk hand in hand to school?" he asked.

"It won't," Percy said, a little irritated. "But I would rather put this off as long as possible." Nico sighed and let Percy have his hand back. As long as they lived in this town, Percy would never be comfortable with himself. He'd always feel like he'd have to be the good Christian boy everyone expected him to be. It was towns like this that made Nico sick. How could humans turn on one of their own? How could they care so little for someone's feelings that they would physically, emotionally, and mentally destroy the people they'd worked so hard to build up. What Nico never understood was why the Christian's thought the way they did. God made his children in his image, and he loved his children no matter what they did. "You have that thoughtful look again Nico," Percy said, startling the dark-haired boy. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing," Nico replied with a shake of his head. "I just was thinking of Bible verses and such." Percy turned to look at him. "What? I do read the Bible you know. We've always been church-goers. I even attended morning Sunday school in the facility. I know my Bible verses. Perhaps not off the top of my head, but I know them." Percy cracked a tiny smile.

"I don't know how I feel about that," he answered honestly. "But I'm glad to know you know a thing or two about the Bible. That does make me feel a little better." And it did.

"Are you ready?" Nico asked after an extended pause. They'd reached the school, and with some unspoken agreement, they both paused. A few people lingered outside the school, and when they saw the duo, they turned to each other and began whispering. Jason was leaned against the school wall. Nico led Percy that way. "What's up Jay?" he asked. The blonde looked around nervously.

"Look, I love you both, and I do want to talk to you, but I can't. Word has already gotten out. Principal Solace plans to speak with both of you as soon as you step foot in that school. Will's tried to talk him out of it, but…" Jason shrugged. "Now I have to go. Good luck." He sprinted off, leaving a dumbfounded Nico and a disheartened Percy.

"Do you hear that Nico?" Percy asked in a small voice. "We're too late. Word has already spread. I can't believe it…" He trailed off, and tears welled in his eyes. "Nico…" The dark-haired boy wrapped his arms around the brunette.

"It's okay Perce, it's okay," Nico murmured. "One thing at a time. Let's go see what the damn principal wants." Percy swiped a hand under his eyes and nodded. Talking to Principal Solace couldn't be that bad. After all, he went to Youth Group with Will every Wednesday. He liked Principal Solace. He was just and fair. "Come on," Nico whispered, leading him passed the prying eyes of the few lingering students.

Percy gulped when he saw the front office, because Principal Solace was standing at the door, waiting for them. When he saw them, his eyes narrowed. He ushered them into the office. Percy felt Nico's hand on his elbow as he steered him into the office. Once they were inside, Mrs. Tomilson closed the door. Mrs. Tomilson and Principal Solace waiting for them? This couldn't be a good omen. Far from it.

"So, I suppose you boys already know why I've called you both here," Principal Solace began. "Have a seat please." Neither boy moved. "Please Percy, just sit," he pleaded. "This will be so much easier if you boys cooperate. I promise nothing too bad will happen." Percy turned to Nico, who nodded. Percy sat down in a seat across from Principal Solace while Nico stood behind the brunette, his hands on the boy's shoulders. Principal Solace sighed. He liked Percy and Nico, he really did. His son adored them and he'd been friends with Percy since they were in kindergarten.

"Principal Solace, if I may," Nico interrupted. "What will happen to us? I know you have a precious reputation to uphold, and dear me, we've seemed to upset that, haven't we." Percy glanced down guiltily. He hated it when he messed something us. Nico leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "It's alright Percy, it's not your fault," he said. "I was only joking."

"Boys, I really don't know what to do," Principal Solace admitted. "I don't want to expel you. That seems too harsh. I'm an open man, and frankly don't agree with the church." Percy looked a little stunned. "How about in-school suspension for two weeks, and I'll let you continue to do your studies. And on Wednesday mornings I'll let you guys have a little Bible session if you want."

"Principal Solace I…I don't know what to say," Percy stammered. "Thank you, I guess?" Nico squeezed Percy's shoulders. This was a blessing more than it was anything else. With in-school suspension, they could continue doing school work away from all the stares they'd now doubt get. "Thank you," Percy said with a little more relief. "Thank you so much." Principal Solace smiled.

"No problem," he said, rising. "Now, I fear, I'll have to make an announcement. This may be hard for you boys to hear."

"Thanks for the warning," Nico said quickly. "Perce, cover your ears." Percy nodded and placed his hands over his ears. Principal Solace picked up his mic and glanced at the dark-haired boy. Nico made a "go on" gesture.

"Students, I have dealt with our latest problems," Principal Solace began. "Don't worry, they won't be around to disrupt classes or turn people gay. Just go about your daily activities." He turned to Nico, setting the mic down. "I hate saying things like that because they're vicious stereotypes and I know they're not true. But I have to say them."

"I understand," Nico said, tapping the brunette's shoulder. Percy uncovered his ears and looked up at the dark-haired boy. "Come on Percy, let's go study," Nico said, leading the brunette into the inner office to the in-school suspension room. Principal Solace watched them go. His heart went out to those boys. He hoped they would find peace in the weeks to come.

…

"How was school Percy?" his mother asked when he walked into the house. He'd already taken Nico home, and they'd made plans to get together after dinner. But for now, they were going to have some time apart to work on schoolwork and learning Bible verses for Wednesday morning. Principal Solace, and avid Christian, would join them for half an hour for the next two weeks for prayers and lessons. Since Percy wouldn't be allowed back to church, it was welcome.

"Better than I would've thought," he replied. "Principal Solace gave Nico and I in-school suspension because he didn't know what else to do." The brunette's mother looked at him sharply. "He had to discipline us somehow mom, or there would've been a lot of parents in an uproar. 'Oh, those boys are going to turn my son gay! How dare they go to the same school?" He rolled his eyes. "He's letting us continue studying. He's even set up Wednesday Bible lessons for us. He's thinking of inviting our old Youth Group buddies so we don't feel so alone."

"That's great Perce," his mom said, coming over and ruffling his hair. "I'm glad things are better than we thought they'd be. I didn't want to go to the school and be the scary mama I can be." Percy laughed and shook his head, getting some crackers out of the cabinet. His mother was the least scary person he knew. Then again, he'd never had to deal with any of this before. "Where's Nico? He's been so attached to your hip lately, I was wondering where he'd dashed off to."

"He's at home studying for a test tomorrow," Percy replied, sitting down at the table with his crackers. "Which I should be studying for too. I'll see you mom." Sally took the hint. She gathered her things and left. Percy smiled. This day just got so much better. A knock at the door caused him to look up, though. Who could that be? He rose and moved to open the door. He was a little shocked when he saw Hazel. And she looked like she was crying.

"Hazel, what's wrong?" he asked, alarmed. She wiped her eyes and hiccupped. "Hazel?" he asked.

"Percy, it's Nico," she said, and a cold hand clutched Percy's heart. Nico? His Nico? "Percy…mom had to rush him to the hospital in the city."

…

Nico didn't remember much of what happened after he got home, but he remembered taking something to help his headache. Then he sat down at the kitchen table to do his homework. And then…nothing. Good God, Percy was going to kill him for this. He hurt all over for some reason, and his eyelids felt like they were filled with lead. He could barely keep them open.

"Well hi there sleepyhead," a kind voice said. Everything was a little fuzzy, but Nico could make out a dark shape. "You gave your family quite a scare there. Thought you were trying to commit suicide again."

"No…" Nico managed to get out. "Can't…Have someone…who needs me…" Talking was taking quite the effort. And he still felt tired. "What did I take?" he finally asked.

"Some simple medication to treat a headache," the doctor replied, peeling his eyelids open. "Tylenol I think." Nico groaned.

"I'm allergic to Tylenol," he said. "I must have grabbed that bottle without thinking about it. But I'm allergic to acetaminophen, which is in Tylenol. So that's all. I'm having an allergic reaction. That's all." He sighed. He was alright after all. He was worried that he'd have some serious explaining to do.

"I think we'll keep you overnight for tests, see how things are going," the doctor said, jotting something down on his clipboard. "Tomorrow, you should be good." Nico nodded, and when the doctor left, he sat up. He must have not been paying attention to what he was grabbing in the bathroom. He couldn't have acetaminophen, or he'd pass out and possibly die.

"Nico honey, are you okay?" The dark-haired boy turned to face Maria, who was sitting in the corner watching him. "So you just had some Tylenol? That's all? Thank goodness." She put a hand over her heart. "You really scared us. We thought…"

"I know what you thought mamá," he cut in. "But that's all. Just a little accident. Don't worry, I'm not going to try it again. I have a boyfriend who needs me in his life. I can't leave Percy yet." He smiled a little. "And I can't leave my family of course. You guys need to me too." He settled back against his pillows, looking around. "St. Marx in the city huh? What? Worried I'd tried to off myself again?" It was a good sign when he could joke about it. "So that must have been Vincent who was checking me out?" he asked, looking at Maria. She nodded. Vincent had been the doctor that checked in on Nico the first time he'd come to St, Marx.

"We couldn't be too sure Nico," she said nervously. "You've had a long, tough day. We thought maybe…"

"Mamá, I'm fine," he insisted. "It was just a simple mix up. Vincent says I'll be good as new tomorrow." He grinned. He couldn't wait to get back to his Percy.

…

"You sure you're alright?" Percy asked, cradling the phone to his ear. He was seated at his desk, trying to do his homework. But when Nico called him, he abandoned the idea. Nico's well-being was more important than some silly paper. "It was just an allergic reaction?"

"Yep," Nico replied with a little laugh. "I promise you Percy, I did not try to off myself. I took some Tylenol to help my headache by accident. I can't have Tylenol. It causes a severe reaction." Percy breathed a little sigh of relief. He'd been worried about Nico ever since Hazel went home. She and Bianca stayed to tell the dark-haired boy's dad about everything. "Vincent, he's my doctor here at St. Marx, says I'll be as good as new tomorrow. I'll be back in time for our test, so don't you dare start without me." He laughed again, and Percy couldn't help but smile.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied. "Speaking of that test, I need to study. I was just checking to see if you were okay. Love you lots."

"Love you lots too," Nico replied, and Percy could hear the smile in his voice. "I'll see you tomorrow. Take care." He hung up, and Percy put the phone back on the desk. He swiveled around in his chair and stared at his blank walls once more. Nothing was as it should be anymore, but maybe that was a good thing. Change was almost always nice.

…

"Goodnight Nico, sweet dreams," Vincent said, turning out the light. Nico smiled. Vincent was always the one who would not treat him like a fragile being. And he was sweet. Vincent was the doctor everyone liked. Nico pulled his thin blanket up to his chin and settled down for the night. He already felt a lot better. He hoped to be back to Percy as soon as possible. He didn't want to be away from him for much longer. He loved Percy, and he wanted to be there for him, no matter what.

…

There ya go. It's a little shorter than the last chapter, but it'll do. Ha, you all thought Nico would do something drastic. Nope. Just an allergic reaction. Didn't see that coming.


	27. Chapter 25-News Worthy

Surprise! It's an update. I apologize for the long wait, but I've had a lot to deal with lately. Nothing bad, thank god. Not like in August. But I'm back, and so are Percy and Nico. They are so incredibly happy to be doing this again (sounds weird, I know, but they both admit they like this story very much).

…

Percy did something he hadn't done in a long time; he chewed his thumb nail down to the stub. Nico was supposed to be back any minute. Walking into school without him had left the brunette feeling horribly exposed. Kids continued to stare and point and whispered. The only ones who didn't were Jason and the rest of the Youth Group. They would avert their gazes and grow steadily quiet. Percy sat in his tiny desk in the in-school suspension room, feeling claustrophobic and agitated. He also felt as wound as a clock spring.

"Percy?" Percy looked up when Mr. Turner, the in-school suspension teacher, said his name. He'd oversee their lessons while Principal Solace would tackle Wednesday lessons. "Where's Nico? He was supposed to be here five minutes ago."

"Well sir," Percy began. "Nico had to go the hospital yesterday. He should be back any…" Even as he said it, Nico pushed his way into the room and sat down at the desk next to Percy. He flashed Mr. Turner a smile and got out all his school materials.

"Hello Mr. Turner," he said sweetly. "As you may have guessed, I'm Nico di Angelo. Sorry to have kept you waiting, but we had quite a drive. I was at St. Marx in the city, you see, getting over an allergic reaction to some medication. I hope I wasn't too much of an inconvenience." Mr. Turner seemed a little speechless. He opened and closed his mouth like a washed-up fish. He went up to his desk and sat down.

"Yes, well then," he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "You guys have a test to begin so…begin." Percy tuned to Nico, raising an eyebrow. Nico just smirked at him. They began their test in silence, the only sound being their pens on paper. Percy finished first, walking up to hand his test to Mr. Turner. He glanced up from his paper. "Silent reading until ten," he said. Percy returned to his seat, sitting down. So far, this wasn't bad. Percy got his book out of his binder and tried to concentrate, but he couldn't. He was well aware Nico was just a seat away, bent over his paper test. He risked a glance over at the dark-haired boy. Nico's tongue was sticking out of the corner of his mouth in concentration. It was rather cute.

So that was basically how Percy's morning went. Test, free reading, mini lesson, homework time, more free reading time. It was rather mundane, but at this point, anything beat those icy stares of his classmates. As instructed, each boy brought a cold lunch. They got to push their desks together at lunch time to make a sort of mini table. Mr. Turner left to eat in the teachers' lounge. Percy didn't think he liked them very. Then again, who did these days?

"I don't think Mr. Turner likes us very much," Percy said after he finished half his turkey sandwich. He'd grabbed the first lunch meat he'd found. He wasn't a big fan of turkey, but it beat tuna like he would've had to make if he couldn't find the lunch meat. He popped a chip into his mouth. Nico looked sideways at him.

"What gives you that idea?" he asked, setting his sandwich aside. He didn't want Percy to think their teacher didn't like them much. After all, they were stuck with him for the next two weeks. Percy swallowed his food, but refused to meet the dark-haired boy's gaze. "Well, I'm sure…" The door slamming open cut Nico off mid-thought. Principal Solace peeked in them. "Hey Principal Solace," Nico said in surprise. He hadn't been expecting him to check in on them. "Where's Mr. Turner." Principal Solace looked at Percy uneasily. Suddenly, Nico's food didn't seem so appetizing.

"I regret to inform you that Mr. Turner will not be returning for studies," Principal Solace said. "I, instead, will oversee your lessons from now on. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, after all." Percy and Nico exchanged a look. Some silent agreement passed between them. Mr. Turner didn't want to come back because of them. He didn't want to teach the two gay sinners. "Though I am pleased to hear you both passed your tests." Principal Solace strode into the room and pulled a chair up directly in front of their desks.

"Do we have to move the desks back now?" Percy asked, a little sadness tinging his voice. He liked being this close to Nico at school. It felt…freeing somehow. Principal Solace laughed and leaned back in his chair.

"Of course not Percy," he replied, and the brunette brightened. "You two work better together, no?" This time, Nico nodded. "Besides, this next bit is something about a science project. And you need a partner for it. You two are the only ones here, so…" He smiled down at the two young, eager faces before him. Nico looked like he had something to prove. And Percy, well, the soft-spoken boy just looked relieved that he was getting some kindness for the first time in a three day period.

…

"How was school? Are you feeling better?" Nico laughed when he first walked into his house. His mother, always the worrywart. He went over and gave her a hug. "I'm taking that as a yes to feeling better," she rambled. "So how was school? Mr. Turner?"

"Is a selfish asshole, pardon my language," Nico replied. Maria didn't look like she cared either way. "He began the day off by nearly scaring Percy to death, then after lunch he decided he'd just skip the rest of the day. Principal Solace…my bad, Apollo…is taking on the responsibility of teaching us every day as well as our Bible lessons. Beyond that, I don't know much about our favorite in-school suspension teacher." The dark-haired boy rolled his eyes. "Really now, what school district lets one teacher just decide not to do his job."

"The same school that punishes two nice boys who did nothing wrong by normal law," Maria said. Nico turned to look at his mother. She shrugged. "It's true," she replied. "What school system, or town, or anything really, lets two boys be out casted because of who they love? It's just not right!" Nico sighed. It wasn't the first time he'd had this conversation with his mother, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"The same town that is so based on religion they'd turn on one of their own, a very devout Christian boy that's done everything right with his life so far, that's who," he responded. It was starting to sound like a game Nico didn't want to play. "I'm going over to Percy's," he said, dropping his bag on the table. "I just thought I'd come and say hi and all that." He kissed his mother goodbye and headed out. What he didn't expect was Percy trapped in front of his house, surrounded by a small group of people Nico didn't know. No doubt older high schoolers.

"What's the matter fag?" a burly girl sneered. "Cat got your tongue?" Percy shook his head, trying to backpedal. But he smacked into another kid, who grabbed him before he could get away. Percy gazed up over his shoulder at the new culprit. "Thatta boy Chris," Burly Girl said. "But I bet you like that, huh fag? You like being held by a boy, don't ya?" Percy gazed at the ground and mumbled something unintelligent. Burly Girl delivered a punch to his stomach, causing the brunette to double over. "What was that?" Burly Girl asked harshly. Nico's blood began to boil. How dare they hurt his little Percy? How dare they gang up and attack his precious boy?

"You leave him alone!" Nico screamed, bolting from his spot on his porch. Burly girl turned just as Nico plowed into her. Normally, he would never tackle a girl. But this girl was solidly built and looked more than capable of taking care of herself. Chris, the person holding Percy, jeered at Nico as he scrambled to get up. "You too!" he screamed at Chris, though he couldn't charge the great oaf. He was still holding Percy, and Nico wouldn't risk hurting the brunette. Behind him, Burly Girl was rising to her feet.

"Show him who's boss Clarisse!" Chris shouted. Nico whirled around to face the new threat. Luckily, he didn't have to do much of anything. His mom stepped out onto the porch, the phone in her hand.

"You kids better get out of here or I'm calling the police," she threatened. Clarisse, Chris, and the rest of the group dispersed. Chris released Percy before he left, and the brunette sank to his knees and began to sob. Nico ran to his side and knelt beside him. He wrapped his arms around the brunette and held him tight.

"God Percy, I can't believe they did that," he said. "Come on, let's get you inside." Percy gazed up at the dark-haired boy as he helped him to his feet. Nico gently placed his hands on the brunette's shoulders and led him inside. "Thanks mom," he added. "Don't know how that would've gone without you." Maria closed the door behind the boys and sighed.

"It's days like today I wish we still lived in the city," she replied. Percy interrupted whatever Nico had been about to say with a hiccup. "Are you okay sweetie?" Maria asked as Nico sat the brunette down at the kitchen table. "That was quite something, wasn't it?"

"I was expecting something like this," Percy said, wiping his eyes. "From Clarisse and her crew. They're bullies to the core, but no one ever does anything about it." Nico sat down beside the brunette and took his hand. "I'm okay now Nico, I'm okay…" he said softly. Nico gazed steadily at him. "Well, maybe I'm not okay, but I definitely feel better compared to outside."

"I still can't believe they'd pull a stupid stunt like that," Nico said. "Why would they attack such a sweet boy?" Despite everything, Percy blushed faintly. Nico called him sweet. But he wasn't sure if he felt good about that or not. After everything that had happened… No. If he was meant to love Nico, there was nothing anyone could say or do to convince him otherwise. And he was sure he was made this way for a reason. "Do you want to go to my room?" Nico asked. "It's quiet there." Percy shook his head.

"I'm okay, really," he said. "Can we just… I don't know, do something distracting? I want to forget about all of this." Nico sprang up from his place at the table and went to fetch some games. Marie disappeared into the living room, leaving Percy with his thoughts. That was never a good thing. He couldn't get the names that Clarisse and Chris had called him. Obviously fag. Sinner. Disgrace. He took a shuddery breath. He was all of those things. He would be ashamed of himself if he was in his parents' shoes.

"Percy, are you okay?" Percy looked up (unaware he'd even looked down in the first place) at Hazel and Bianca, who'd just gotten home. "Mamá told us a little bit about what happened. How awful!" Percy smiled a little.

"Pretty mild compared to all that's happened over the last few days," he replied. "But they definitely caught me off guard. Then again, I should've known Clarisse would wait for me at my house. That's kind of her thing." He sighed. He didn't want to deal with this anymore. He shouldn't have to deal with it. "I don't know how you're brother deals with things so well," the brunette added. "I'd be an emotional wreck right now."

"You kind of are an emotional wreck," Nico interrupted, coming back with an armful of board games. Life was included of course. That was the game that started everything. "But I love you anyway," the dark-haired boy added, going over and kissing the brunette. Percy smiled and gazed at the games. "Whatever you want to play, we'll play," Nico said, once again sitting down beside him. Percy bit his lip and gazed around. There were a lot of games here. Life was always fun, but he didn't want to play it today.

"Let's play Sorry," he said, grabbing the game board. Nico grinned. Bianca and Hazel sat down with them, and slowly, slowly, they helped Percy forget.

…

_"Here," the news anchor said. "You can clearly see a group of high school students attacking Percy Jackson, a local churchgoer gone sinner. Do we know how this footage was captured, Chuck?"_

_ "It was said that a neighbor witnessed the fight and began recording as soon as she could," Chuck Mayson replied. "Why this group of kids would attack another kid, I will never understand. But you can clearly hear the girl calling Percy a fag and a disgrace. Awful words, Tom, awful words indeed." _

Nico muted the TV, disgusted. How dare someone film that awful fight, then send it in to be featured on the six o' clock news. Percy sat frozen on the couch, his lower lip trembling. Nico's blood boiled again. He'd make Chris and Clarisse pay for what they'd done. They had no right to basically destroy the life of this boy that, before this weekend, had been perfect in every way. Nico watched himself tackle Clarisse, and he felt a little thrill of triumph. No doubt the news would have a few choice words about that, but the girl had been perfectly fine.

"Well, this certainly puts a damper on things," Nico said, turning the TV off. He turned to Percy. "Aww baby…" One lone tear slipped down Percy's cheek. "It's okay Perce. It's one little news story. Who really watched the news anyway? I doubt anyone will even see the footage." He went and sat beside the brunette, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. "It'll be okay. People will forget in no time."

"That's the thing, Nico," Percy said softly. "People will never forget. In a town like this, people have long memories. They will never forget the sins they think we've committed." Nico wanted to scream in frustration. He'd actually take the crowded city over this. At least then he'd melt into the background and be forgotten rather quickly.

"And mamá said small town life would be good for us," he muttered. Percy looked up curiously. "Nothing Percy, nothing," he said. "Come on. Let's get away from here." He led Percy away from the TV, only to run into Jason. "Well, well," Nico droned. "What do we have here?" The blonde winced.

"I'm really sorry about everything that's happened," he said, wringing his hands in front of him. "I saw the news. Why would someone record that? That's not the thing you put on the news. That's someone's very private life."

"We're a public spectacle now," Percy replied, causing both boys to turn to look at him. "Nothing in our lives will be private. It'll be like we're on a reality TV show. Except, you know, we're not." He glanced down at the ground, apparently finding something interesting there. Jason and Nico shared a look. That didn't sound at all good.

"I wish I could talk to you guys more," Jason began awkwardly. "But I have to go. I'm sure people are spying on you as we speak." Nico growled. So now, one of their only friends was going to abandon them? The blonde looked pained. "I hate this as much as you do, Nico," he said. "I swear I do. I miss talking openly with you guys. Maybe we can get together in secret this weekend?" Nico waved his hand and strode off. Percy glanced over his shoulder and watched the dark-haired boy leave. Jason sighed. "Nico's mad at me," he told the brunette.

"He's mad in general," the brunette replied half-heartedly. "But yeah, he's probably a little miffed at you for standing us up publicly." Jason winced again, and Percy held up his hand. "But I understand why you're doing it. Stay out of the limelight please. It's not fun, obviously." Percy waved distractedly toward the living room. "That's the first news cast I've seen related to this. No doubt it won't be the last."

"I hate what they're doing to you two," Jason said suddenly, harshly. Percy took a step back. "You're not sideshow freaks and you're certainly doing nothing wrong. They can't parade you around like a circus act." Percy shook his head.

"Jay, I'm sure everything will get better with a little time," the brunette said. "You'd better go." The blonde gave him one last pained look, then disappeared out the back door. Percy stood in the mini hall and watched him go. He didn't even believe that himself. But he didn't want his friend to worry too much. After all, they had enough without adding a distraught Jason to the list. "Nico?" he called.

"Up here Perce!" the dark-haired boy replied. Percy went up the stairs to Nico's room. The dark-haired boy was laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "C'mere baby," Nico said, holding his arm out. Percy went over and curled himself up against Nico. The dark-haired boy wrapped his arm around the brunette's waist. He kissed his temple. "Hey baby," he said. That was all.

"Hey," Percy replied. It felt weird to be having a normal conversation after all they'd seen. "Did you study up for Bible lessons tomorrow?" Percy asked mildly. Nico turned and glanced at him.

"I'm going to ask mom if I can skip tomorrow," he replied. "I can't do this. I need a break." Percy gaped at him. Why would Nico give them exactly what they wanted? "I know what you're thinking," Nico said, startling the brunette. "'Why the hell would I skip school? That's exactly what they expect you to do.' Well, I'm taking an emotional day tomorrow. If I go to school, I'll come unhinged. That won't be good." Percy didn't exactly what to say.

"Think I could join you?" he asked at last. "I don't want to go if you're not going to be there with me." Nico screwed his face thoughtfully.

"You think your mom would let you skip school?" he asked. Percy snorted. After that news story, she'd probably beg him to stay home. That way, nothing else could hurt her little boy. "Alright, alright," Nico said with a laugh. "Sick day it is then."

…

Ta da, an update at six in the morning. Because why not, right? After all, I've got nothing better to do with my life.


End file.
